Due to the sudden attack by the Khaos Brigade, the planned gathering of the Underworld's high-ranking officials had been canceled.
However, instead of being locked up as she should have been, the important criminal—Khaos Brigade member Kuroka—was not placed in a cell. Instead, she was with Yoru.
According to Sirzechs, since Kuroka was Yoru's prisoner, the right to decide her fate rested in Yoru's hands.
"What a disgrace." In the conference room at Maou Ridge, the Fallen Angels' Vice Governor, Shemhazai, opened with that remark.
Azazel was seated beside Shemhazai, sipping tea while thinking, Just know when to stop.
As for Yoru, the one directly involved, he was exceptionally seated at the conference table filled with high-ranking members from the Fallen Angels, Angels, and Devils.
On the day the Maou-hosted banquet was held, the Devils were attacked by the Khaos Brigade—or rather, "the end result appeared that way."
The SS-class Stray Devil "Kuroka," wanted by the Underworld, had used her familiar to infiltrate the banquet. No one could have anticipated that.
Later, after making contact with the Gremory soldiers, Kuroka was captured, while the other two Khaos Brigade members were driven back and fled.
Although the incident ended with minimal damage, the fact that enemies had infiltrated the venue would undoubtedly raise concerns about the Devils' security from other factions.
As was evident now, Shemhazai from the Fallen Angel side and the Seraphs from the Angel side were visibly angered.
Shemhazai continued his report.
"The opponents were the Khaos Brigade's independent unit, the 'Vali Team'—Sun Wukong's 'Bikou' and the nekomata 'Kuroka'—and also involved was the wielder of the Holy King Sword, Collbrande. Each of these members possesses immense power. Three such individuals arrived… Let's not even mention the failure in outer perimeter security—they even managed to sneak a familiar into the banquet itself. Luckily, it was discovered in time. Otherwise, the consequences could have been dire. In any case, the Devils' security was far too lax!"
Yoru tapped the table idly. Azazel looked impatient—Shemhazai was excellent in every other way, but he did talk too much.
Just as Yoru was about to doze off, Shemhazai suddenly mentioned his name.
"That's all the information I have. Regarding this matter, I'd like Mr. Yoru, the soldier of the Gremory family, to clearly explain the more detailed circumstances to all of us."
"Huh? The specifics?"
Yoru was slightly taken aback by Shemhazai's words, then noticed that all eyes in the hall were now on him.
"Well, there's not much to say. This wasn't really an attack—just a foolish older sister missing her younger sister and wanting to see her. I believe all of you know that the nekomata Kuroka is the elder sister of one of Rias's servants, Koneko, correct?"
At his words, everyone present nodded. It had been Sirzechs who rescued Koneko back then, and the Fallen Angels had long been aware of this intelligence. It wasn't a hidden secret.
"So, this whole thing was just an elder sister visiting her younger sister—it really wasn't an assault."
"No assault? As far as I know, there was a battle there. And judging by its scale, it wasn't small. There was also a powerful barrier that masked the presence of those involved, preventing even the two Maou present from detecting the intruders immediately."
Shemhazai pointed this out seriously after Yoru spoke.
"Hmm… battle scale, huh?"
Yoru rubbed his chin. Other than the ice wall he'd created, it seemed Kuroka and the others hadn't left much behind.
Though admittedly, the scope of that final ice wall was a bit exaggerated.
"It was just adjusting the relationship between sisters. They hadn't seen each other for a long time, missed each other dearly, but still put on an indifferent act. I couldn't just leave it like that."
"Please keep in mind, Mr. Yoru—Kuroka is an SS-class Stray Devil, an extremely dangerous individual!"
"Oh? And so what?"
Yoru raised an eyebrow, responding without backing down to the stern-faced Fallen Angel Vice Governor.
The atmosphere in the meeting turned awkward. Azazel watched with amusement as his deputy was put in his place, while Sirzechs and Serafall wore slightly helpless expressions.
It was clear that Yoru had already made up his mind to protect Kuroka. Since she was Koneko's sister, there was no way he would treat her as a criminal. Doing so would only hurt Koneko deeply.
Sirzechs and Serafall understood this without needing to say it, and let Yoru have his way—but the Fallen Angel side didn't know that.
Azazel caught the implication in Yoru's words, but the somewhat rigid Shemhazai still didn't.
Just as Azazel was about to tease his deputy, a strong, aged voice came from outside the door.
"Hmph. Do young people no longer greet their elders?"
Suddenly, a one-eyed old man wearing an ancient hat appeared. His white beard nearly touched the floor, he wore a simple robe, and held a staff in hand.
"Odin?" Azazel called the old man's name, prompting Yoru to glance a few more times at this otherwise unremarkable elder.
It was Odin, the chief god of the Norse pantheon—outside the Biblical Three Factions—who had entered, accompanied by a valkyrie.
"Oh, it's been a while, you old northern country bumpkin." Azazel greeted him with a deliberately unpleasant tone, to which Odin stroked his beard.
"It has indeed been a while, you mischievous little Fallen Angel. For former enemies to be sitting together like this… are you plotting some new trick?"
"Hmph! Unlike you rural gods bound by ancient dogma, I, as a young man, have flexible thinking. I value growth and progress over petty hostility."
"That's nothing but the stray dog spirit of the weak banding together. In the end, it's just a gathering of little brats who've lost their god and their Maou."
"This so-called Odin geezer is really something else in terms of arrogance."
Hearing the old man's words, Yoru shook his head slightly, muttering with amusement. But it seemed the old man had sharp ears, for even though Yoru's voice was quiet, he still heard it.
"And who might you be, brat? I don't recall seeing you before. So now, even disrespectful youngsters like you can attend high-level meetings like this? What a ridiculous game you little brats are playing. Have you really become this pathetic without the leadership of the Maou?"
Odin looked at Yoru with an expression full of disappointment, as though hating iron for not becoming steel.
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