Chapter 24: The Church's Shadow and the Gremory's Resolve
The morning air at Kuoh Academy was crisp, but for Lucian Gremory, it felt like the calm before a hurricane. The "filler" antics of the weekend—the love hotel misunderstandings and Rias's playful "re-education"—had left him refreshed, but the heavy reality of the Underworld was calling.
Lucian walked through the gates, his presence drawing the usual whispers from the student body. He was no longer just the "Elegant Prince"; he was the man who stood by the Heiress of Gremory during the Rating Game. However, his red eyes were fixed on the school rooftop. He could feel it—a cold, sharp resonance that didn't belong to Devils.
"The Excalibur fragments," Tamamo whispered from his shadow, her voice uncharacteristically tense. "They're close, Master. And they smell of incense and old blood."
Lucian adjusted his blazer. "I know. The peace was nice while it lasted, but Kiba's ghost is officially knocking on the door."
The Arrival of the Envoys
The meeting took place in the Occult Research Club, but the atmosphere was a far cry from the cozy tea sessions of the previous week. Rias sat behind her desk, her expression a mask of noble stoicism. Beside her stood Akeno, her smile present but her eyes sharp as needles.
Lucian stood to Rias's right, his hand resting casually near his side, though his mana was coiled like a spring. To the left stood Issei and Asia, both looking nervous.
Then, they entered.
Xenovia Quarta and Irina Shidou walked into the room with the confidence of those who carried the weight of Heaven on their shoulders. They were dressed in their traveling cloaks, but the massive, wrapped bundles on their backs—the shards of the legendary Holy Sword Excalibur—radiated an energy that made the Devils in the room instinctively tingle.
"Greetings, Heiress of Gremory," Xenovia said, her voice like cold marble. She didn't bow; she stood as an equal. "I am Xenovia Quarta, and this is Irina Shidou. We are here on behalf of the Church."
Irina's eyes immediately locked onto Issei, her childhood friend. "Issei-kun! It's really you! You've... you've really become a Devil, haven't you?"
Issei stammered, his face a mix of nostalgia and guilt. "Irina? What are you doing here? And why are you carrying a sword that looks like it could slice a mountain?"
"Business, Issei-kun," she replied, her cheerful tone carrying a hidden edge.
Xenovia stepped forward, her gaze shifting to Lucian. She paused, her eyes narrowing as she sensed the "Power of Destruction" simmering beneath his skin. "And you... the Gremory branch member. The one they call the Wildcard. You smell of a very dangerous lineage."
"I get that a lot," Lucian replied smoothly, stepping slightly in front of Rias. "But let's stick to the script, shall we? You didn't come here to critique my bloodline. You're here about the stolen fragments."
The Warning
The room grew colder as Xenovia explained the situation. Three fragments of Excalibur—Excalibur Rapidly, Excalibur Mimic, and Excalibur Destruction—had been stolen by the fallen angel leader Kokabiel.
"We are here to ensure that the Devils of Kuoh do not interfere with our retrieval," Xenovia stated. "Or, if you prefer, we are here to warn you: if you stand in our way, or if we find you harboring the thief, we will treat you as enemies of the Cross."
Rias narrowed her eyes. "This is Gremory territory. Any conflict that happens here is my concern. You are asking me to stand by while a war between the Church and the Fallen Angels erupts in my backyard?"
"We are asking you to be wise," Xenovia countered.
She then turned her gaze toward Asia Argento. Her lip curled in a sneer of pure, religious disdain. "And to think... the 'Witch' who was exiled is now a servant of the Gremory. A girl who possessed the hand of God, now kneeling before a Devil."
Asia flinched, her eyes tearing up. Issei lunged forward, his face turning red with rage. "Hey! Don't talk to her like that! Asia didn't do anything wrong!"
"She is a heretic," Xenovia said flatly. "Her existence is an insult to the faith."
Lucian stepped forward, his eyes flashing a deep, glowing red. The air in the room suddenly felt heavy, the "Power of Destruction" manifesting as a faint, dark mist around his boots. "That's enough, Church Envoy. You are in the house of Gremory. Asia is a member of our family. Insult her again, and I'll consider it a breach of diplomatic immunity."
Xenovia felt the pressure. She realized that while Rias was the leader, Lucian was the executioner. She slowly reached for the hilt of the sword on her back. "Are you threatening a Knight of the Church, Devil?"
"I'm setting the boundaries," Lucian replied, his voice a calm, lethal whisper. "You have your mission. We have our territory. Don't confuse our hospitality for weakness."
The Return of the Knight
Just as the tension reached its breaking point, the door to the ORC creaked open.
Yuuto Kiba stepped into the room. He was no longer the "Charming Prince." His uniform was still tattered from his encounter with Freed, and his eyes were hollow, fixed entirely on the wrapped swords on Xenovia and Irina's backs.
"Kiba!" Rias cried out, her relief warring with her concern.
Kiba didn't look at her. He didn't even acknowledge Issei. He stood before Xenovia, his voice a low, raspy growl. "Those swords... Excalibur. You have them."
Xenovia sensed the raw, unstable holy-demonic energy radiating from Kiba. "A survivor of the Holy Sword Project? I thought you were all extinguished."
"Not all of us," Kiba said, his hand twitching toward his side. "I am the one who will destroy those blades. Every single one of them."
"Yuuto, stop!" Rias commanded, her voice ringing through the room. "They are guests! This is a diplomatic meeting!"
Kiba turned his head slightly, and the look in his eyes made Rias flinch. It was the look of a man who had already decided to die. "I'm sorry, Buchou. But this... this is the reason I became a Devil. This is my only purpose."
Before anyone could react, Kiba vanished in a burst of speed, lunging toward Xenovia. She was ready. She swung her wrapped blade, the collision of steel and holy energy creating a shockwave that shattered the windows of the clubroom.
The Intervention
Lucian didn't hesitate. He knew that if this fight continued, the ORC would be leveled, and the relationship with the Church would be irreparable.
"Issei! Grab Asia!" Lucian shouted.
He moved with a speed he had been refining through his "Copy" ability—mimicking the burst-movement he had seen Kiba use. He appeared between the two combatants, his right hand—still scarred and pulsing with stabilized mana—shoving Kiba back, while his left hand caught Xenovia's blade mid-swing.
The holy energy of the Excalibur fragment burned against his palm, but he channeled a thin layer of the Power of Destruction to act as a buffer. The two energies hissed and sputtered like oil in a fire.
"Both of you, STAND DOWN!" Lucian roared.
The authority in his voice, backed by a surge of pure Gremory mana, forced both Kiba and Xenovia to pause.
"Kiba, look at me," Lucian said, his eyes locking onto his friend's. "You want revenge? Fine. But you won't get it by throwing your life away in a clubroom. You're a Knight of Gremory. Act like it."
He then looked at Xenovia. "And you. If you want to finish your mission, leave now. Go find Kokabiel. If you fight us here, you'll never leave this town."
Xenovia sheathed her blade, her expression unreadable. "You are an unusual Devil, Lucian Gremory. Very well. We have delivered our message. But tell your Knight: if he seeks the Holy Swords, he will find only his grave."
She and Irina turned, walking out into the hallway without a second look.
The Aftermath and the Vow
The room was left in a shambles. Kiba stood in the center, his head bowed, his hands shaking.
Rias walked toward him, her heart breaking for her Knight, but Lucian intercepted her. He shook his head slowly. This wasn't a time for the "Master" to scold. It was a time for the family to hold together.
Rias understood. She looked at Kiba, then at Lucian, and finally at her team. "We aren't staying out of this," she said, her voice firm. "Kokabiel is in my city. He has stolen holy swords. And he has hurt my Knight."
She turned to Lucian, her eyes seeking his tactical mind. "What do we do?"
Lucian looked at his scarred hand, then back at the door where the Church envoys had vanished. "We let the Church find the trail. We let them do the heavy lifting. But the moment they find Kokabiel... we strike. We don't just get the swords. We get Kiba's closure."
He walked over to Rias, placing a hand on her shoulder. The bond they had solidified during the filler—the "love" and "possession"—was now the foundation of their resolve.
"I'm with you, Rias. Always."
Rias leaned into his touch, her strength returning. "Then it's decided. We prepare for war."
In the corner, Kiba watched them. He saw the way Lucian protected Rias, and the way Rias trusted Lucian. He felt the warmth of the peerage, but the cold fire in his heart remained.
The Excalibur arc had truly begun, and the "Elegant Prince" was now the General of a small, desperate army.