"Oh, I'm so sorry..." Rias blushed, quickly regaining her composure.
"My, my... to think the little princess is now exploring the complexities of romance. It's moments like these that make me grateful for my long life." The conductor's jovial laughter deepened Rias's blush.
Badr quickly stood up, sensing that the conductor was someone Rias held in high regard. It wouldn't do to be impolite.
The man turned to Badr and the others, removing his hat and placing it against his chest in a courteous bow. "Greetings, newly ascended devils. I am the conductor of this special train, Leonard. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Hello, Mr. Leonard. I'm Badr," Badr replied with a smile, followed by introductions from Asia and the others.
Leonard produced a device and began scanning their identities, the process surprisingly technological.
Not everything demonic was steeped in arcane traditions, it seemed.
After completing the registration, Leonard moved to another car to attend to another VIP:
Azazel, Governor General of the Fallen Angels.
...
With the peace treaty in place, Azazel could now travel to the Underworld openly, and he had joined them on this trip.
Furthermore, this was his first official visit to the Underworld, hence the need for identity registration...
After another forty minutes, an announcement echoed through the train.
"Approaching dimensional wall. Approaching dimensional wall."
Finally, they were about to cross the dimensional boundary. The sheer thickness of the wall, requiring an hour of travel to traverse, spoke volumes about the difficulty of interdimensional travel.
Badr had been playing cards with Rias and the others to pass the time. The winner of each hand earned a kiss from the person of their choice.
Hearing the announcement, he laid down his cards, licking his slightly swollen lips from the numerous kisses he had received, and looked out the window.
The Underworld... they had arrived.
...
As the train passed through the dimensional wall, the scenery outside transformed dramatically.
A purple sky stretched overhead, and the train, now flying at an altitude of ten thousand meters, offered a panoramic view of the vast land below.
Mountains rose and fell, forests stretched as far as the eye could see, and rivers snaked through the landscape.
It was a far cry from the desolate wasteland Badr had imagined.
"It's beautiful..." Asia breathed, her eyes wide with wonder. This was her first time traveling so far from home, and her reaction was understandable.
The compartment door slid open, and Sona Sitri and her peerage entered. They had come to say their goodbyes.
"The Sitri territory is next. We'll be disembarking here."
"Alright, see you soon?" Rias smiled and nodded.
"Yes, see you soon."
The train stopped briefly, allowing Sona and her peerage to disembark before continuing its journey.
They had expected to reach their destination quickly after entering the Underworld, but after another hour, the train showed no signs of stopping.
"Haven't we arrived yet?" Xenovia asked, puzzled. "It's been quite a while since we left the Sitri territory. The Underworld is vast."
The flying train was incredibly fast, yet it had taken them this long. The sheer size of the Underworld was impressive.
"Almost there," Akeno said with a smile.
"Actually, we're already above the territory," Rias added. "This area falls under the Gremory domain. It's mostly undeveloped land, forests, and mountains."
Then, as if remembering something, Rias clapped her hands.
"That's right... Badr, Asia, Xenovia, I'll be gifting you a portion of the territory later. Let me know if there's anywhere specific you'd like."
"Huh?" Asia and Xenovia looked stunned.
"Give us land?" Badr hadn't anticipated this.
"Of course. You're the servants of the future head of the Gremory clan. You're entitled to your own land. Akeno and Koneko already have their territories!"
Rias conjured a map with her magic, displaying it before Badr, Asia, and Xenovia. "See? The red areas are already occupied, but anywhere else is fair game. Just tell me where you want it, and it's yours."
Badr stared at the magically projected map, speechless.
He hadn't expected to become a landowner so suddenly. This was quite unexpected...
Well, Rias was going to be his wife, and as the future head of the Gremory clan, taking a little something from her wasn't a big deal... right?
'Long live being a kept man,' he thought with a chuckle.
After the initial surprise, Badr shrugged it off. Land ownership wasn't particularly exciting to him.
After becoming a devil, things that were once unattainable were now easily within reach...
After another fifteen minutes, a massive city appeared on the horizon.
From their aerial vantage point, they could see the sprawling metropolis, its buildings arranged in neat, orderly rows.
"That's the Gremory main residence. It was designed by a famous architect," Rias explained with a smile. Looking at the vast city below, it was hard to believe that this was just one district within the Gremory family's territory.
The train slowly descended and entered the city. Akeno told everyone to prepare for disembarkation.
"Isn't Azazel-sensei coming with us?" Asia looked around the car, noticing that the Governor General of the Fallen Angels wasn't with them.
"I have other arrangements. I'll be heading directly to the Maou's territory and will join you later," Azazel said with a wave of his hand.
Someone of Azazel's stature undoubtedly had a busy schedule. Badr and the others didn't pry further, following Rias onto the platform.
"Welcome home, Lady Rias!"
A deafening roar erupted as ranks of devil soldiers stood at attention. The sky exploded with a series of bangs.
Countless fireworks lit up the sky. The enthusiastic welcome was fit for a visiting head of state.
For Rias, this was probably a common occurrence.
Asia, however, had never seen such a grand display and seemed a bit overwhelmed. Badr took her hand and smiled reassuringly.
The little nun calmed down, happily walking hand-in-hand with Badr.
"Thank you, everyone. I'm home," Rias greeted the soldiers and the maid corps at the front with a gracious smile.
A silver-haired maid approached, exuding an aura of authority.
It was Grayfia Lucifuge, Sirzechs's wife and the most powerful [Queen] in the Underworld.
"Welcome back, Lady Rias. You've arrived early. I'm so glad to see you and your peerage safe and sound. Please, step into the carriage."
"I'd prefer to ride with everyone in one carriage. It seems Asia and the others are a little intimidated."
"Of course. I'll make the arrangements."
Despite being Rias sister-in-law, Grayfia remained respectful, which Badr found slightly odd.
Perhaps this was the devil's social hierarchy at play. Badr wasn't interested in judging, accepting it as part of their culture.
They all boarded the luxurious carriage. It was Badr's first time riding in one.
It was strange. Although the Underworld had established connections with the human world, many things remained old-fashioned. There didn't seem to be much technological advancement here...
Surely they could have at least adopted cars?
Well... devils probably didn't need them...
'Whatever works,' he thought, deciding not to overthink it.
This first trip to the Underworld was full of new and unusual experiences...
After a short ride, a large open space appeared beside the road, with a colossal structure towering in the center.
"What is that place? It's magnificent..." Xenovia murmured.
"That's one of our family's buildings," Rias said casually. "It's where we eat and sleep."
'Just one building is part of their home? This family is incredibly wealthy,' Badr thought, surprised. He'd never heard anyone refer to a single building as "one of our family's buildings" before...
...
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Chapter 157: Meeting In-laws, Gremory Banquet!
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...
The carriage pulled directly into the castle courtyard. Badr and the others followed Rias out, greeted by two lines of impeccably dressed maids flanking a pristine red carpet.
The display was extravagant.
Badr, still adjusting to his new life as a Devil, couldn't help but think, 'This is some serious aristocratic excess'.
'Plenty of opportunities for a kept man here.'
They proceeded along the red carpet into the castle.
A small figure darted from the ranks of maids and ran towards them.
"Aunt Rias, you're back!" A young boy with fiery red hair embraced Rias enthusiastically.
"Millicas, I'm home!" Rias smiled warmly. "You've grown taller!"
She turned to introduce the boy to Badr and the others. "This is Millicas Gremory, my nephew, the son of my brother, Sirzechs Lucifer."
'Nephew?' Badr glanced at Rias, suspecting she might have encouraged the familiar address. He also hadn't realized Sirzechs had a child this old. This was a genuine prince.
Millicas politely greeted Badr and the others. Badr returned the greeting with a smile. Asia and the others were charmed by the boy and promised to play with him later.
"Oh, Rias, you're back!" A melodic voice reached them, and a strikingly beautiful young woman in a formal dress approached. She looked about Rias's age.
Rias's face lit up. "Mother."
Asia and the others were taken aback. This impossibly youthful woman was Rias's mother?
Completely unexpected.
Badr, too, was surprised. This was his future mother-in-law...
Looking closer, he could see the resemblance to Rias. Apart from her flaxen hair, many of her features were nearly identical.
"Rias's mother? She looks so young..." Asia whispered.
Rias chuckled. "Devils can alter their appearance with magic once they reach a certain age. Mother usually maintains an appearance similar to mine."
"Well, it's only natural. Women of a certain age are very particular about their appearance. Is there something wrong with that?" His future mother-in-law said with a smile, her gaze settling on Badr.
"You must be Badr. I've heard so much about you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Madam," Badr replied with a composed smile.
"The pleasure is all mine. I am Venelana Gremory, Rias mother." Venelana studied him with an approving eye. "You certainly have a noble air about you. No wonder Rias is fond of you. She has excellent taste."
"...Mother," Rias murmured, blushing slightly.
Venelana seemed increasingly pleased with Badr, mentioning the possibility of arranging another marriage soon, leaving Rias speechless.
Rias glanced at Badr. Sona's earlier question about their readiness echoed in her mind. She wasn't entirely sure she was prepared to become Badr's wife, unsure if she could shoulder the responsibilities that came with it.
At least wait until graduation, right?
From a human perspective, marrying now felt too soon. She wondered if Badr would feel the same...
Rias was considering things from Badr's point of view, but devils were more direct in these matters...
Akeno and Asia remained composed, though they couldn't help but feel a touch of longing. After Rias and Badr married, it would be their turn...
"It's almost time, Madam, Miss Rias. Lord Gremory has returned and wishes to dine with you." Grayfia's quiet voice interrupted their thoughts.
"Very well." Venelana nodded. "Let's prepare for dinner then. Rias, lead the way."
...
Nightfall.
'Curse these aristocrats,' Badr thought. Even dinner was a grand affair, held in a dedicated hall with a twenty-meter-long table laden with elaborate dishes.
The food itself was exotic and rare, served with exquisite silverware. The meal was undeniably luxurious and looked delicious.
They took their seats, and a middle-aged man entered, taking the head of the table. This was Rias father, the current head of the Gremory Clan.
He was a vigorous-looking man, radiating an aura of power and nobility. He had the Gremory family's signature fiery red hair.
Sirzechs, Rias, and even Millicas all shared the same vibrant hair color. Strong genes, indeed.
"Welcome, members of Rias's peerage. Please make yourselves at home. You are new to the Underworld, so there might be many things you are unfamiliar with. If you have any questions or needs, don't hesitate to ask the maids. Please, don't be shy." Zeoticus Gremory, Rias father, gestured for them to begin their meal.
Badr picked up his silverware, gracefully cutting a piece of steak and savoring its exquisite flavor.
"By the way, Badr," Lord Gremory addressed him.
Badr responded respectfully, "Yes, Lord Gremory?"
"Though this is our first meeting, I have heard much about your accomplishments. Sirzechs speaks highly of you as well."
"Thank you for your kind words, Lord Gremory, and for Sirzechs's praise."
Badr offered a polite smile. His humble demeanor earned a nod of approval from Lord Gremory.
"If there's anything you desire, please don't hesitate to ask."
Badr raised an eyebrow slightly, replying with a calm smile, "Thank you, Lord Gremory. I am content with my current situation. As a Devil, I am still inexperienced, and I will continue to strive for improvement."
Rias beamed, seeing Badr handle himself so gracefully in front of her parents.
Honestly, she had been worried. Given that Badr was a human reincarnated as a Devil, she had been concerned he might find the formalities of Devil aristocracy stifling.
But now, it seemed her worries were unfounded. Badr was impeccable.
His polite and humble demeanor made her heart flutter. Akeno and Asia stared, slightly mesmerized...
The same thought crossed their minds:
'Our man is so powerful, so humble, and so incredibly handsome...'
Lord and Lady Gremory were equally pleased. They had, of course, already investigated Badr's background.
A young man with the potential to become a [Transcendent], possessing High-Class Devil strength that rivaled even Maou-level power, This talent was practically unheard of among the younger generation of Devils!
Zeoticus smiled at Badr, his voice filled with approval. "Badr, from now on, you may call me Father."
Rias's eyes widened, her face flushing crimson. "...Father."
