Chapter 93 – The Man Behind the Curtain: Azazel!
Just as the atmosphere in the Occult Research Club room was starting to settle, a soft hum filled the air.
A glowing crimson magic circle gradually took form, its lines and symbols weaving together in a complex, majestic pattern—unmistakably, the official teleportation crest of the Gremory family.
"…You've got to be kidding me. We just mentioned him, and now he's here?" Akira muttered in disbelief.
Talk about summoning the devil by name—literally.
Moments later, two figures emerged from the light: a man and a woman, both radiating a presence far beyond that of an ordinary Devil.
They weren't just anyone.
The man was the Lucifer himself—Sirzechs Lucifer, supreme leader of the Underworld and one of the Four Satans.
At his side stood a woman with striking silver hair and a composed expression—Grayfia Lucifuge, his queen and wife… as well as the head maid of the Gremory household.
"It's good to see you again, Shin Akira-kun," Sirzechs greeted with a serene smile.
"Yeah. Welcome, Brother-in-law," Akira replied casually.
It was a short exchange, but the impact it left in the room was enormous.
Especially for Xenovia—who had just joined the Devil faction.
Her eyes were wide with shock. That's the Lucifer… the embodiment of authority and power in the Underworld. And yet Akira, a former human, just talked to him like it was no big deal?
"Brother-in-law, huh? That's… unexpected," Sirzechs said with a light chuckle. "But I don't hate it."
"Just calling it like it is," Akira replied without batting an eye.
Sirzechs laughed again, a natural, almost boyish laugh. It was the kind of laugh that made it hard to believe this man held one of the highest thrones in the Underworld.
But in that moment, he felt certain—Rias had chosen well.
Though Akira was born human, he had already reached a status near the top of the supernatural hierarchy. Given time, Sirzechs had no doubt Akira would surpass the boundaries of his origin.
As for human lifespans?
That wasn't something Sirzechs worried about. There were many ways in this world to extend a human's life—and knowing Akira, he might've already surpassed those limits long ago.
"…Grayfia," Rias said, her eyes narrowing toward the silver-haired maid.
"You're the one who told Onii-sama about the school's Parent Visit Day, aren't you?"
Her voice held a tinge of accusation.
Originally, Rias hadn't intended to inform her family at all. But then, Sirzechs showed up anyway.
"Indeed, Ojō-sama," Grayfia replied calmly. "As Sirzechs-sama's personal maid, it is my duty to report all relevant matters concerning the Gremory family. That includes you."
"I…"
Rias wanted to argue, but the words died in her throat.
It wasn't just fear. Since childhood, Grayfia had always been more than a maid to her—she was a guardian, a mother figure, someone more terrifying than her brother in some ways.
They say sisters-in-law are like second mothers. In Rias's case, that felt a little too accurate.
"S-Sirzechs-sama!"
"Your Majesty, Sirzechs!"
"Lucifer-sama!"
"Long live the Demon King!"
The rest of the club members quickly stood and offered respectful greetings, some more formal than others.
Akira might've been able to speak casually, but they couldn't. The peerage system was strict. As servants under Rias—the King in their Devil Reincarnation chessboard—they had no choice but to show proper deference to the one who stood at the top.
Sirzechs, however, simply smiled.
"No need to be so stiff. I'm just here as Rias's older brother today, not as a Satan."
The tension instantly melted from the room.
If you didn't know his true identity, you could've easily mistaken him for a friendly adult who happened to adore his little sister.
Xenovia, however, was visibly rattled.
She'd been raised in the Church to believe the Satans were bloodthirsty monsters—the rulers of the abyss who crushed all in their path.
But the man standing before her now seemed… shockingly human.
Were all those teachings lies…?
"Rias," Sirzechs called gently. "How has life in the human world been treating you?"
"…It's fine. There's no need for Onii-sama to worry," Rias answered coolly, turning her gaze away.
"Still mad, huh?"
"Gee, I wonder why? If not for you and Father, none of this would've happened."
"And yet, things turned out pretty well, didn't they?" Sirzechs replied, subtly glancing toward Akira.
The message behind that look was clear.
Without the arranged engagement, this relationship wouldn't have happened.
Rias simply scoffed and looked away again.
Deep down, though, she knew the truth.
Even now, her relationship with Akira was ambiguous at best. Despite the occasional moments of closeness, it was usually her taking the initiative.
"By the way, Brother-in-law," Akira interjected, his tone shifting slightly. "Something tells me you're not here just for Parent Visitation Day."
Sirzechs's smile deepened. "Sharp as ever. That's only one of the reasons I'm here."
"One of them, huh…"
"In three days, we're holding a Three Faction Summit here in Kuoh Town."
Akira's eyes narrowed. "…Who's attending?"
"From the Devils: myself and Serafall Leviathan. From the Fallen Angels: Azazel, the Governor General of Grigori. From Heaven: Archangel Michael."
Akira sat up straighter. "When?"
"In three days."
"Where?"
"Kuoh Academy."
The room froze.
Rias stared at her brother in disbelief. Akeno's eyes widened. Koneko and Xenovia looked stunned.
This tiny town—barely a blip on the map in Japan—was about to host the leaders of the three greatest supernatural powers in existence.
Rias had originally chosen Kuoh as a place to escape her engagement to Riser Phenex. And now… this?
It was like watching the presidents of the U.S., China, and Russia decide to meet in a random mountain village.
"I take it there's a specific reason for choosing this location?" Akira asked.
Sirzechs nodded. "Naturally."
"Because of Kokabiel?"
The corners of Sirzechs's eyes crinkled before he chuckled lightly. "You catch on fast."
His gaze lingered on Akira—like a veteran appraising a promising heir.
With someone like Akira standing at Rias's side, the Gremory family's future looked exceedingly bright.
"Kokabiel recently stole three holy swords from the Church and brought them here," Sirzechs explained. "He targeted Rias and Sona Sitri, aiming to provoke the Three Factions into a war. Though we've stopped him, the aftermath is far from over."
"So all of this… is Azazel's doing," Akira muttered, his voice low and sharp.
Sirzechs raised an eyebrow. "You've met him?"
Akira nodded. "Yeah. He knew Kokabiel was going to act but didn't stop him. Said it wasn't his place as Governor General to personally discipline his subordinates."
"I see…"
Sirzechs's tone deepened, his expression hardening.
"…And it was Azazel who proposed the Three Faction Summit."
"…He proposed it?"
Akira's brow furrowed.
Back when he was just a reader of High School DxD in his previous life, this detail was never explicitly mentioned. He'd always assumed the summit was a joint decision.
But thinking about it more deeply…
It actually made sense.
Azazel had long known about the Khaos Brigade. He'd been investigating them behind the scenes for some time.
And Vali—wielder of Divine Dividing and one of the most dangerous beings of the new generation—had openly joined the Khaos Brigade and even formed his own team under their banner.
There was no way Azazel didn't know. In fact, Akira was convinced he not only allowed it—but might've been subtly orchestrating it all.
The fact that he let Kokabiel run wild, only to propose a summit right after?
"…That guy really does love playing puppet master behind the curtain," Akira murmured under his breath.
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