After driving off the black-clad assassin, Renya returned home with Asuka and the others. He explained the situation to Lavinia and the rest, then decided to have Honami and Haruka stay the night at his house.
Leaving Honami and Haruka in the care of Orihime and Sylpha for the time being, Renya secluded himself alone in his study.
Sitting in a chair, he deployed a communication magic circle.
The contact was the mage association he, Lavinia, and Elfaria all belonged to—the "Gray Sorcerers."
This particular line was a direct communication channel to Mephisto Pheles, his father and also a board member of the association.
Mephisto, upon receiving the unexpected contact, began the conversation as a father-son talk.
"Hey there, Ren-chan. What's the matter?"
The Mephisto displayed on the communication screen spoke to him in that familiar, casual tone.
"...I've told you so many times; would you stop with the 'Ren-chan' already, Dad? I'm seventeen this year, a second-year high schooler, you know."
"Hahaha. To me, you're still my adorable little boy who needs looking after."
"Well, I guess from the perspective of you, Dad, the first generation of the Pheles family, someone like me who hasn't even lived twenty years probably still seems like a baby forever."
Even though Renya lodged a complaint he'd lost count of making, Mephisto just laughed cheerfully without seeming bothered at all, and Renya let out a short sigh.
"My apologies. It's just that as a father, I'm worried about my only son who's traveled to a foreign land."
"...You're the one who sent me to Japan with Lavinia four years ago and had us fight the 'Utsusemi Organization' and 'Oz.' What are you saying now?"
Renya sighed at the blatant pretense.
Even if Lavinia had been with him, considering he was only thirteen at the time, this was truly an afterthought.
"That was that, and this is this. After all, the reason I sent you to a foreign land this time is what it is."
Yes, the truth he hadn't told Rias or Sona.
The truth was that Mephisto had seen in the stars that the world's flow would change, centered on this town of Kuoh.
"We came all the way to Japan to confirm that..."
"Yeah. To be precise, I still don't know whether it will be an omen of good fortune or bad fortune, and it could change either way depending on future actions."
"But so far, nothing has changed."
"But it will happen, whether you like it or not. Something that will involve the Three Great Powers and other mythological factions in that town, ushering in an era of great upheaval."
Since this also served as a regular check-in, Renya did not doubt Mephisto's astrology. Still, he couldn't yet read what would trigger the current stagnant situation and how it would change.
"Well, as for me, I've long distanced myself from the Devil government, and I'm content to quietly act as a board member of the association in the human world. But you... you all are still the generation that will shape the future. That's precisely why I sent you to that place—so that you, with your own eyes and hands, can carve out the new era that will arrive before long."
Mephisto said with a shrug.
Because they were young with a future ahead of them, they should jump into the heart of the matter as participants, not outsiders.
Whether one took that as kindness or harshness would depend on the person, but at least Renya considered it the former.
That was precisely why he had decided to leap into the tiger's den.
"So whether that becomes a good omen or a bad one is up to you. It's not about us older generations—it's about you who live in the present."
"...Well, if things of that magnitude are going to happen, it's definitely easier to move if you're right in the middle of it."
Renya nodded in renewed agreement at Mephisto's words.
For better or worse, being at the heart of the commotion allows you to choose how to get involved.
The difference between choosing to engage or being dragged into it against your will while staying on the sidelines is significant. Being closer makes it easier to decide what to accept and what to reject. In some cases, you can even choose to watch simply.
"Freshness and accuracy of information are what matter. If that much is going to happen, it's better to be in the thick of it than on the sidelines—you can gain more advantages that way."
"Exactly. —So, have you found any signs of something like that?"
Nodding at Renya's words that those involved can obtain information with higher accuracy, Mephisto asked quietly.
However, Renya shook his head.
"...Unfortunately, I haven't found anything resembling that. I've looked around the promising places."
Kurosaki Renya wasn't the type to visit people just for the sake of greeting them.
The reason he had visited Rias and Sona was to check if there were any entities related to Mephisto's prophecy.
However, he couldn't confirm anything like that under Rias or Sona, who led the largest factions of supernatural beings in this town.
Mephisto put his hand to his chin, his gaze drifting upward as he thought.
"Hmm, if that's the case, maybe the timing isn't right yet, or perhaps something is still missing. But I believe the change will come before long."
"I hope so..."
"Well, since you're here, enjoy your student life in Japan for a while. Things were quite hectic four years ago, after all. You should do some sightseeing too."
Renya thought that if it didn't end in vain, he'd be satisfied with at least obtaining the minimum amount of results.
Mephisto, making light suggestions to such a son, asked.
"So, how are you finding Japanese schools?"
"It's a good place. Many of my classmates are good folks. Though there are also plenty of problem kids..."
Starting with Honami and Haruka, whom he had dispatched, there were many good classmates, but there were also plenty of problem children—Rias's Gremory Servants, Hyoudou, Matsuda, Motohama, and even Sona, who was also problematic in her own way.
It was probably only Renya who would place the perverted trio and Rias's Gremory Servants on the same level as the student council president, Sona.
"Well, those types exist everywhere. How are Rias-chan and Sona-chan doing?"
"...Both have various issues. I've established a mutual non-aggression pact, so I think it should be fine for the most part."
Speaking with a sense of gravity as someone who ran an organization, Mephisto asked, and Renya roughly explained the arrangement he had made.
"Hmm... As for me, I'd like to see young people who will carry the future interact more proactively... but since Ren-chan has decided that, there must be a reason. I'll leave that part to your judgment on the ground."
Mephisto seemed to have wanted Renya to cooperate with his contemporaries Rias and Sona, but apparently decided to leave it to Renya's on-site judgment.
In that regard, it seemed he trusted his son based on past achievements.
"Ah, that's right. Did you get to meet Sohma-kun and Aki-chan?"
Mephisto brought up those names as well.
"Yeah. I also received Sohma's promotion proxy card. Aki-sensei seems to be an excellent mage."
"Uh-huh, that's great. I'll leave Sohma-kun to you. Use him as you see fit. Aki-chan is one of the most outstanding among my disciples. But precisely because of that, she's often targeted. Since she has a disposition that makes combat beyond self-defense difficult for her, I'd like you to protect her if things get serious."
"Understood. Leave various things to me."
"Yeah, I'm counting on you."
Sohma was a close friend, and Aki would likely be someone he'd owe various favors to in the future.
Renya had no objections to taking on those responsibilities.
'I'd like to bring Aki-sensei over to my side if the opportunity arises.'
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