The moment the teleportation gate closed.
On a tall building ten kilometers away from the Naruse house, a handsome middle-aged man wearing glasses and casual clothes took out a cigarette case.
"How perceptive. I was almost discovered."
Jin Tojo lit his cigarette with a smiling expression, as if he wasn't the one who had maintained a precise distance from Ethan's perception range the entire time.
Exhaling a smoke ring, he dropped his smile and pondered.
He had originally intended to protect the homeless sisters and allow his son, Basara Tojo, to get acquainted with his two cousins.
But when he arrived at the location, he couldn't find them for a long time, only to discover that Naruse Mio's foster parents had been captured.
Jin Tojo was just about to act and rescue them when he detected the disturbance created by Naruse Mio and Maria.
Out of curiosity, he had quietly observed. Seeing Ethan preparing to teleport away, he had momentarily relaxed his vigilance.
That split second almost exposed him.
"Have they established contact with the Gremory family..."
The moment Jin Tojo saw Ethan, he recognized him.
Wilbert was dead, but many Devils still firmly supported his lineage.
Both Zolgear sending people to pursue Naruse Mio and the information about Ethan had been relayed to him by these supporters.
"This is fine. In Kuoh Town, those people certainly wouldn't dare to cause trouble... well, it looks like my son and I need to move again."
Jin Tojo knew the relationship between Wilbert and the Gremory family and did not intend to forcibly intervene.
At the same time, he was aware of the Gremory family's current situation and, feeling uneasy about a group of young individuals gathering together, decided to move Basara Tojo there as well.
While Jin Tojo was deciding to move, Ethan was grappling with a similar issue.
After teleporting back to the Occult Research Club, Naruse Mio's parents quickly woke up following Asia's treatment.
The heartwarming reunion and relief after their ordeal went without saying.
However, for safety reasons, it was best for the couple not to show their faces again until the Three Factions Conference concluded, and ideally, until Zolgear was completely dealt with.
The same applied to Naruse Mio.
But given her high potential, after a period of dedicated training, she wouldn't have to worry about pursuers.
Her parents, however, were different. A single Low-Class Devil could potentially take their lives.
Moreover, while Naruse Mio alone was manageable, accommodating her parents in the villa—which had plenty of empty rooms—was something Ethan and the girls were reluctant about.
Age was one factor, but the main reason was the disparity in power and status between the two parties.
Both Naruse Mio and Maria possessed noble bloodlines, along with decent strength and potential.
It sounded harsh, but that was the reality of the Devil World, or rather, the reality of this world in general.
Ethan, for his part, simply didn't want any more males moving in. If it were just Naruse Mio's foster mother, it would be no problem!
Although the Devil MILF's looks and figure weren't top-tier, sampling her would be fine...
Cough, cough. The couple had a strong relationship, and she couldn't boost his power, so Ethan decided to be a good person and eliminate the evil thought.
Mindful of Naruse Mio's feelings, the others avoided being too direct.
Only after she had personally confirmed her lineage from her parents did they subtly suggest sending the couple to the Gremory family in the Devil World.
Although the Gremory family was in decline, they still had many servants. Naruse Mio's foster parents could disguise their identities there and ensure their safety.
The Naruse couple had no objections; they had been Wilbert's servants before coming to the human world.
This would be a return to their old profession.
Naruse Mio was hesitant to part with her parents, but she knew it was the right choice.
She truly was the dream-level heroine of Shinmai Maou no Testament: besides being tsundere and lewd, she was an absolute dream goddess.
Hmm, the tsundere and lustful aspects were also bonuses, transforming a dream-level goddess into a genuinely cute girl.
Ethan silently praised the twin-tailed, large-breasted beauty as she reluctantly bid farewell to her parents.
After sending off the Naruse couple, the focus shifted to Naruse Mio and Maria.
Maria was a different case. She looked younger than Koneko, but this was her sealed form.
Ethan glanced at the collar on the succubus LOLI's neck, automatically visualizing her unsealed form: a tall, sexy onee-san.
While LOLI were good, he definitely preferred large vehicles.
Especially tall onee-san with long, slender legs wearing black stockings.
Maria's mission was half-complete. She only needed to stay by Naruse Mio until the Three Factions Conference ended, then return to the Devil World with Sheila and go to the Gremory family.
Naruse Mio's situation was more complicated. She had grown up in the human world and would struggle to adapt to the Devil World suddenly.
She herself stated that she didn't want to get involved in the Devil World's mess, but her power had awakened, and Zolgear constantly coveted it. A complete return to a normal daily life was equally impossible.
Ultimately, Naruse Mio decided to transfer to Kuoh Academy.
She would continue her high school life while diligently training to master the powerful forces within her.
As for housing, the villa had many empty rooms, so she and Maria moved in that very night.
They would slowly supplement their daily necessities and clothes later.
The money spent was negligible to the Gremory family.
Due to the previous generation's relationship, combined with the rescue operation, Naruse Mio's relationship with the group instantly became much closer.
It might also be that the Occult Research Club was the first social environment she encountered in her completely new life.
In any case, the tsundere twin-tailed beauty quickly integrated into the club's atmosphere.
Aside from changing schools and residences, her life essentially returned to how it was before.
The day after Naruse Mio's transfer, Rias returned from the Devil World.
She had spoken with the Naruse couple there and generally understood what had happened.
With the Rating Game imminent, she had neither the time nor the energy to focus excessively on Naruse Mio's affairs. After a brief introduction, she quickly got down to business.
"The Rating Game will begin promptly at 10 PM in three days."
Rias got straight to the point. "The location will be Kuoh Academy. Broadcast preparations are complete. Now we need to confirm the participants."
To prevent casualties, the higher-ups had created a special alternate dimension to serve as the battleground for the Rating Game.
The situation within this space would be broadcast live. Winners would rise in rank and status, drawing the attention of powerful figures.
The opponents in this match were not ordinary. Devil World elites, including Rias's brother, Devil King Sirzechs, would be watching.
"President, did you find a suitable contract?"
Ethan's brows furrowed. Rias was going straight to listing participants without mentioning the contract with him...
As expected, Rias shook her head regretfully. "We ran out of time. We couldn't find a suitable contract."
The Phenex family was one of the Four Great Pure-Blooded Devil families. Finding a contract that could deceive them was already difficult.
Moreover, at this critical juncture, the opponent would undoubtedly scrutinize any contract thoroughly.
"Akira, don't worry."
As if knowing what Ethan was thinking, Rias added, "While I can't guarantee a win, I have an 80% certainty."
An 80% chance of winning was quite high; it basically meant certain victory.
But this concerned Rias's entire future, and Ethan did not want any destabilizing factors.
More importantly, the subtle unease deep within him seemed to foreshadow something.
If the world line hadn't changed significantly, Riser's servants would generally be A-Class, with perhaps his Queen Yubelluna and his Bishop Ravel having S-Class strength.
Riser himself was probably a High-Class Devil, at most an Ultimate-Class Devil.
But the opposing team had a numerical advantage, plus vast experience in Rating Games.
Added to the Phenex family bloodline, and the high probability of hidden trump cards...
Just as Ethan was lost in thought, a cute LOLI voice suddenly sounded.
"Um..."
The petite and adorable succubus LOLI stood on her toes, raising her small hand, trying to draw everyone's attention.
"Although I'm not exactly sure what kind of contract you're talking about."
Seeing everyone looking at her, Maria chuckled and said, "But I have a family-inherited contract here..."
Rias's eyes lit up. She instantly understood what Maria meant.
Although Maria came from a remote area, Rias knew from asking her mother that Sheila's status was not low; she was the previous Succubus King.
Otherwise, Wilbert, a Devil King, would not have mated with her.
The "family-inherited contract" was very likely a unique contract method belonging to this lineage of Succubi.
In that case, there was a high probability of deceiving the supervisors of the Rating Game and the Phenex family.
Compared to Rias's surprise, Ethan was momentarily confused. Maria's words reminded him of a crucial event in Shinmai Maou no Testament.
Also involving Devils and connections to a Devil King, the Master-Servant contract was a central plot point throughout the series.
He never expected that contract to be a family heirloom. No wonder he hadn't seen anyone else use it...