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Chapter 223: Interlude 9

The flow of the world had shifted ever so slightly. The River of Time moved in a way that I was unfamiliar with. Something occurred, something I did not foresee. Branching paths that no longer all reached towards the end that I had perceived. They were small ripples, but they were becoming more noticeable as the world progressed.

I looked towards my youngest. The one destined to battle my oldest for the fate of the world. I could see the same ripples surrounding him as he had been.....changed. His soul shining brighter and enveloping him as a protective shield in the form of the Dragon Aspect, as the mortals called it. Something he should not have learned to do for many moons. Nor did he learn to do it, but the ripples surrounded him and it had been done by accident.

I exhaled.

Time Froze.

Reaching through the river, I retrieved the strange sword my youngest wielded.

I lowered my head, staring at the sword that was impaled in the ground. My wing reached out to tap it. An inconspicuous action, yet the sword reacted violently. I allowed it its little tantrum as I was curious about the sword that had no presence in the world until recently.

The years rolled off the blade, centuries upon centuries of existence held within, yet this is the first time it has ever \'existed\' within the flow of history.

I attempted to unravel the memories of its existence. To view the years it has lived and witness its birth, but my attempts ended in failure. As if a large void superseded my Authority, the world\'s Time-Line held no baring over this sword until the moment I plucked it.

Once more, I looked back towards my youngest. He was stronger than he should have been at this particular point. Yes, the ripples had been beneficial so far as my Oldest had been....passive. The declaration of a child not of mine sent him into confusion.

Amusing.

My Eldest thought some trap laid by me so he was cautious.

I reached out to my other child in his Divine Realm.

"[Curiosity.]" I sent towards him my intent, wanting to know what he found about the anomaly.

"[Confusion.]" He boomed back towards me, relaying everything he had discovered thus far.

Even he is unsure of what\'s going on.

I took a moment to filter through the information I received.

Interesting. With a thought, I returned the sword to my youngest at the exact moment it was taken.

Hmm, it seems that Merid-Nunda and this....mortal are rather close. Had a mortal managed to sway her heart enough to invoke such emotions? The thought was almost too absurd to believe, yet the information I was given had supported such a conclusion.

My gaze turned towards the Colored Rooms, the realm that Merid-Nunda resided in.

The vessel Merid-Nunda created opened its eyes, staring at my intrusion.

"[Explain.]" She demanded to know my reason for coming, defensive in her statement, but she allowed me entry when she sensed my presence.

Merid-Nunda was one of the ones we had the least conflict with. I suppose our relationship could be construed as tolerant.

"[Anomaly. Questions.]" I asked her about the strange person that appeared around my youngest. And I asked her for clarification on certain matters.

"[Mine!]" She all but shouted back her claim over him and that I will not harm him.

I paused at the emotion behind her exclamation. It was very uncharacteristic of her. "[Relationship?]" I wanted to know if there truly was something more going on.

"[Private.]" Her vessel huffed in annoyance and seemingly turned a little red at my question.

"[Amusement.]" I sent my laughter back as I retreated from her realm less she blasts me away out of embarrassment.

I had never seen this side of Merid-Nunda before. Our interactions in the past had been minimal even before the creation of Mundus.

After speaking with her, my thoughts about what to do with the Anomaly had changed. Consideration for removing it from existence had been my initial priority, but now I see it has caused no intentional troubles. On the contrary, it has moved forward my own plans by its own desire.

To use another term – the Mortals would call it \'good\'. Morality, a concept derived from a miniscule understanding of creation, yet, is it wrong for them to come to those conclusions based on their own fleeting lives? His actions bring consequences they cannot perceive, yet they will hail him as a hero. And I cannot fault their decision based on their own interpretation.

Lastly, I peer through the River of Time and gaze upon the other anomalous figures that appeared around him.

A strange girl with an interesting perspective on the world. Watching her learn the more esoteric arts. How Mortals wield Magic was an amusing sight of its own. A strange system inside her body that allowed her to process the Magicka coming from Aetherius. As interesting as she was, my attention was taken by her companion.

The girl who was a dragon. Another that is not one of mine.

I rewound the River of Time until the point I desired. A point that I found something strange about her that caught my interest, more than it had previously.

Reaching out towards her, I paused when my hold on Time shattered.

Merid-Nunda glaring at me.

"[Protection.]" She declared, stopping my actions. Though she was exerting enough power to strain against the protections on Nirn. If she pushed any further, she would be expelled, and I could quite easily continue my investigations.

But she declared the mortal girl under her protection and was being oddly sentimental once more.

I did not wish a feud with her if I did not need one, even if she was unable to threaten me as she is now.

"[Peace.]" I sent back, relaying that I would not harm the girl in any capacity.

She stared at me as the eons passed and the River of Time began to flow again.

"[Acquiescence.]" She replied, accepting my promise.

A promise between beings of our level was more than just mere words on the wind that Mortals convey. Though she accepted my action, she still did not move and watched me intently. I was curious to see how the others would react if they saw the usual stoic and unwavering Merid-Nunda act in such a way.

Reaching out, I did not take hold of the girl, but instead sought out an item in her bag that space folded around.

A strange spear that pulsed with a feeling that no Mortal could mimic.

I gave one last look at Merid-Nunda and gave her a thankful nod. She appeared appeased in my actions and didn\'t meander any longer.

Withdrawing my focus on the dragon that is not a dragon, my attention was once more back to my main form.

The strange spear now floating infront of me.

The spear itself was an interesting weapon. I could only think of a handful of others currently in the Mortal world that could surpass it. And it was in no way created by Mortal hands, yet I did not recognize which being had created such a thing.

It appeared wholly foreign to my senses

But what took my attention the most was a small presence inside the spear. It appeared as if it would be snuffed out by a passing gust of wind if not careful.

I grabbed hold of the River of Time and focused on the spear. On the small presence that so tightly clung to its continued existence.

The presence didn\'t change, even after thousands of years of time that I tried to reverse its origin. With a small bit of annoyance, I put forth more and more power into my actions. The spear trembled and a bright light erupted from it. My Realm shuddered under the burst of power as the light began to conglomerate and form into a mass in the form of a man.

The figure looked....confused? It looked around at the surroundings and down at itself.

Staring at this new presence, the confusion I had about the Anomaly began to clear and I could guess some of its origin.

"Hello there." I spoke my words as I would towards a Mortal. I feared that this form I forced into cohesion would disperse if I were not careful.

The figure\'s form settled down, the bright light slowly simmering down. He took the form of a man, a man in his later years with white hair and a beard. An interesting form for a Divine being such as him to take.

"Where...?" He appeared lost as I was but a moment ago.

"You are a long way from home, my friend." I gave a mirthful chuckle.

"Yes..." I replied slowly. "It appears that I am. My memories are foggy, but I can remember my time as I took in the surroundings while bound to the True Longinus."

"Careful." I said as he attempted to draw upon power. "I can barely hold you together in this form as is. If you attempt to do any more, I\'m afraid my tenuous hold on your existence may unravel."

"I apologize. I appear to have been getting ahead of myself. I did not think I would be alive once more." He looked down at himself again.

"I\'m afraid that what I did could not be counted as a second life. I am merely staving off the time of death from your existence."

"Indeed. Your control on Time is something I\'ve never had the pleasure of experiencing before. I can see that my existence is still fleeting and will disperse with a thought on your end. I am Dead, I died and I am still dead. A remnant of my previous self that could remember a time when I was alive. A mere dying will." The body he appeared in smiled happily. "Did I take this form because the idea of this look was so engrained on those who worshiped me?" He muttered to himself. "You allowed me this gift, I am forever grateful for this."

"Gift?" I mused. "It\'s nothing worth noting. I was just curious about the one who brought you to my world."

He shook his head with a smile. "I died. But now I have lived after my supposed death, the concept of existing beyond my death is now attached to this piece of me even if only for a brief moment and through a trick on Time. Thanks to you, I may be able to use this as a catalyst for my rebirth if the correct conditions are met. You have given me a small bit of hope to see my children again."

"A fascinating idea." I understood his words well enough. "I wish to converse with you, if you don\'t mind. I have not experienced something new in quite some time." I let out a small chuckle at my own joke.

"I would be delighted to exchange knowledge." He replied without hesitation. "But I do have a question. And please forgive me manners, but I never asked your name."

"Oh yes, I have forgotten such things as most know of my existence in this universe." Dealing with an outsider, the idea had never crossed my name before this moment. "I go by many names, but I believe Akatosh is the one most spoken of by Mortals in this era."

"Akatosh. Your name will forever be engrained in my mind." The Divine being spoke. "As you have said, I also have been given many names over my existence. But I believe my most popular one is – Yahweh."

***

Amakusa Touma POV (Campione.)

"Elders, per your summons, I present myself to you." I bowed towards the four shrouded figures who stood at the top of the History Compilation Committee.

"Amakusa Touma." The First Elder spoke. As the others, his form was shrouded, only a number depicting his difference from the others. "Report."

"Yes, Elder." I stood up straighter. "As per my orders. I attempted to retrieve the Gorgoneion that was revealed through our Hime-Mikos after it left the Lord Campione\'s hands. It was an abrupt mission so certain information was unavailable at time of deployment."

"Understandable. You worked well with what little you had been provided." The Second Elder praised. "We aren\'t here to speak ill of your actions. We just wish to hear everything in your own words. Please continue.

"Yes, Elder." I bowed again, thankful that this was not a disciplinary hearing. "I made contact with the individual who acquired it and he refused to hand it over. It was during our negotiations that Athena appeared. As I have been informed now, she was under the status of a \'Divine Ancestor\' which we were ignorant of before."

The third Elder snorted. "Only a Divine Ancestor. As if we could do much to her to being with."

"Third, don\'t interrupt." The Fourth said lightly. "We asked for his words, not your opinions on the matter. Again, please continue young Touma."

I bowed once more. "It was one of the companions to the one who held the Gogorneion that engaged Athena in battle. She was revealed to be the Legendary Scáthach from the Ulster cycle."

There were whispers between them as they conversed. I held my tongue as I dared not interrupt them.

"And what have our Hime-Mikos said?" The First elder asked.

"They are unable to divine anything about the group. We are working under the assumption that they are able to block all attempts at gathering their information." I explained.

"Yes, that makes sense. Scáthach is a powerful Witch in her legends, It wouldn\'t be farfetched to assume she can block such things." The First nodded. "But even so, we have no knowledge of a new Heretic God descending. Even if she hid herself, her presence should have alerted everyone when she came to the Mortal world."

"That.....I cannot answer Elder." I replied hesitantly. "I can only make some uneducated guesses that perhaps she has sealed herself away here some centuries ago and only recently awoken."

"Not an impossible explanation." The Fourth muttered.

"But nearly just as impossible." The Third dismissed outright. "What was the outcome of the fight – beyond the obvious."

"Scáthach defeated Athena without any noticeable wounds to herself. According ot her own words, when politely asked. She is quoted as saying – " I cleared my throat. " – The little las ran away after suffering my spear. If she lives, call it a miracle."

"Legends state that her Spear is cursed. This could line up with what she said." The Second spoke up. "Do we have any proof that this is indeed Scáthach."

"Nothing beyond her own words. And at this point, Elder, I am inclined to believe her. Why would someone capable of defeating a Divine Ancestor so easily lie about their name?" I offered.

"A valid point." The Second Elder accepted. "Shall we moved on to the others?" There were grunts of acknowledgement, so I continued on.

"The next person I wish to bring up is the other woman that accompanied the newest Eighth King. She called herself Minamoto-no-Raikou."

Again there were murmurs around the room as they all whispered and discussed this amongst themselves.

"Any evidence for her claims?" The First asked.

"None, Elder. But with her attending to the new King and being with Scáthach, I hesitate to dismiss her as well."

"Agreed. Take her words as fact." The fourth stated. "Even if it\'s a lie, it\'s not a good idea to anger the new King."

"Your report says that she was approachable and willing to negotiate. Do you think she will be amendable to working with our organization?" The Second Elder asked.

"If asked for assistance.....she seemed like the type of person to lend aid. Knowing her identity now, he legend reveals her as one that protect the common people. So I would assume she to be a hero of the masses if disaster struck." I gave my opinion once more.

"Good, good." The Third Elder nodded. "See if we can approach her when she reappeared, but don\'t anger the others around her. Especially the new King, their relationship doesn\'t seem simple."

Haaah, that\'s one way to put it. They didn\'t see the way she looked at him and him at her. That was clearly the relationship between a man and woman. Not that I could blame him, she was certainly a beautiful woman. Both of them were.

"Well then. Let us move onto the main focus of this meeting." The Fourth Elder spoke. "The Eighth King, born on our land."

I took that as my que. "Yes, we have compiled some information thus far. Wilhelm Henry Schweinorg. He appears to be mixed race with Japanese being half and we suspect the other to be German. We have discovered that he fought and defeated the God of Storms – Susanoo."

"Yes, I\'m pretty sure half the country is aware of that." The Third Elder said sarcastically. "A massive Tree appears off the coast of Japan along with Storms that defy logic." He snorted. "These Campione, always making a damn mess of things! How many other organizations are contacting us on behest of the other Kings!? What are we supposed to say to them?"

"For once, I agree with Third." The Fourth Elder spoke up. "Does he have any idea how much we had to put into making sure the world didn\'t turn into a mess because of his actions? According to our Hime-Mikos, he somehow summoned the World Tree from Norse Legends right off the coast of Japan!"

"And now we lost one of our greatest protectors." The Third scoffed. "Without Lord Susanoo, who\'s going to stop other Heretic Gods from making a mess of things here? His mere presence dissuaded the many Gods of our country from descending."

"I have started taking measures since I\'ve learned of what happened." The First Elder replied. "I set into motion many cultural repair projects focusing on various Shrines and older Temples for various Gods. I have many of my people scouring the more rural parts of the country to make sure any Shrines they come across are given proper care."

"Well done, First." The Second replied. "It\'s not a perfect solution, but it should buy us some time."

"Indeed. This should mitigate some backlash from the more popular deities. We should take a second look at the records regarding any sealed Gods on our land and make sure they\'re still holding." The Third replied. "It\'s been a long time, I\'m unsure of which Seals were being supported by Lord Susanoo."

"Another good idea." Second gave praise. "But we should focus our attention back on the main point of the meeting."

"Agreed." Fourth nodded. "Tell us your opinion on the Eighth King, Touma."

"Yes, Elder." I nodded as they stopped their own conversation. "He\'s a confidant individual. I would almost call him the opposite of the Seventh. He is thoroughly knowledgeable of our world, as evidence by his battle with Susanoo being a true fight. But he was also acknowledging the issues caused by his actions when I spoke of Lord Susanoo."

"Interesting, were you able to gain his agreement to our cause?" The First asked.

"Yes, though it was not a partnership." I replied. "He agreed to lend a hand while he was around, but he was adamant that he wouldn\'t be around much."

"Typical. Why did I expect any different from one of their kind? Skirting responsibilities after causing such a mess." The Third Elder Growled.

"He didn\'t leave me without giving something valuable." I spoke up.

"Oh?" The First Elder questioned. "There was nothing in your report about him leaving you anything, Touma."

"Yes, Elder. I intentionally left it out of my report. He gave me instructions on how to approach Lord Kusanagi Godou and how to acquire his trust and Aid in his place. I feared that such information might make it to the wrong ears, and thus wanted to report it directly."

"Oh?" The Fourth Elder stated. "You have good foresight, young man."

"Indeed." The third Elder nodded. "A wise course of action."

The First Elder cleared his throat. "I believe Touma here is perfect for approaching the Seventh King. He has a good head on his shoulders and has shown to be able to navigate around this sort without causing issues. All in favor?"

"I agree."

"Same."

"As do I."

They all continued.

The First Elder spoke up again. "Good. Amakasu Touma, you are hereby ordered to approach Kusanagi Godou and attempt to liaison between our organization and him. Use any methods you require to bring him to our side. We need someone to fill the spot of Lord Susanoo."

I bowed towards them once more. "I will listen to the Elder\'s Orders." This would be a difficult assignment, but I felt like I could handle it. I would need to gather a good team and start studying the Seventh King and to make sure –

"Oh and bring Ena with you."

Fuck.

***

Salem POV (RWBY)

How dull these past few weeks had been. I was not usually so attentive to the quietness of my castle, yet, after that strange man appeared and then left, it felt so boring and empty.

The only amusement I had found in this time was the book he had given me. This – Runecraft, as the title had displayed. The idea of magic interlaced into symbols was nothing new, but this particular method was foreign to me.

I stared at myself infront of my mirror. My thoughts drifting slightly, a whimsy I usually don\'t indulge in. I ran my fingers through my hair, undoing my bindings, allowing it to fall to my shoulders.

I reached for a brush and began to properly take care of it, perhaps indulging in the idea of keeping it like this?

He did express a liking for it....

I paused and tossed my brush to the side, scowling at myself for even harboring such an idiotic sentiment.

"What am I doing?" I muttered as I glanced over myself. Wearing a dress I normally do not wear. One that emphasized my chest and hugged tight my rear. I looked at myself, the red veins that covered my body, the red eyes that looked back at me. The cursed markings that would never fade.

I briefly recalled my beautiful blonde hair, and my unblemished skin, devoid of this disgusting curse. I hesitantly reached back for my brush and continued using it to clean up my hair, to make myself presentable.

I snorted at the thought of \'prettying\' myself up for some man I barely knew. No, this was for my own enjoyment, I was merely feeling nostalgic and wished for a change in looks. Even if I chose to wear some lacy undergarments, it was because I felt the desire to.

Setting my brush down, I ran a hand down the seam of my dress and gave my rear a little squeeze to see it bounce. "Hmph, some things never change." I said with a smug smile. "I merely need to distract him the next time he comes around and It will be simple to retrieve the information I desire."

He already expressed his inability to look away from my rear. I will be prepared for our next meeting.

I pursed my lips remembering the embarrassment he forced upon me through the game we had played. Making me say something so humiliating such as finding him physically attractive just to inflate his own ego.

Had it been any other person, I would have eviscerated them for the sheer audacity!

Then he blatantly reveals that he has been undressing me with his eyes the entire time. Never had I ever met someone so bold to say that to my face. However....perhaps a compromise could be reached if he revealed what I wished to know? And he also revealed to have in his possession two of the Relics with the others being known whereabouts. I\'m sure I could.....loosen his lips.

It has been a very long time and I am not against the idea, especially since it isn\'t one of those broken things masquerading as human in this era.

The brief insight into Magic he revealed was.....impressive. For someone who appeared so young, he had a thorough understand of my own spells. Not to mention the show he put on while we displayed our own prowess with the little competition we held.

I had not felt that amount of joy in....many – many years.

Playing around with my Magic with someone who could match me. It was a feeling I had all but forgotten in the passing centuries. Yes, and it was only the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

After he had left, I used the Scroll device to look for information. What a surprise that was to see what transpired.

I would admit that his antics brought me laughter. Seeing the ignorant masses not understanding how he ran circles around them using his magic.

And then he destroyed one of my Sea Fei-longs with a single, impressive, spell. One that bordered the title of Ancient.

I can only smile at the thought of Ozma going frantic trying to understand what occurred. As there is no doubt in my mind the old fool will recognize the usage of magic. For once, I am the one knowing and he will be the one having to search out answers. Should I send a message to taunt him? To reveal that I am acquainted with Wilhelm?

Perhaps send something a bit more intimate, such that I have \'claimed\' him in more ways than one? I cackled at the thought of Ozma finding out the first true Magic user popping up had already been snatched up by me and taken to my bed.

The humorous thoughts faded and a scowl returned to my face. "It\'s too good to be true." I said to myself. When had I ever had something good happen to me? A Magic User – not one of Ozma\'s \'Maidens\' -- revealing themselves and showing an interesting in me?

Ridiculous.

I pushed such trite thoughts away and refused to entertain them anymore. I had plans and they would not be stopped by some outsider.

Speaking of, I believe I had made my minions wait long enough.

I made sure my attire was properly fitted one last time and departed. I made my way to the room I usually hosted them outside of my Throne Room. The table already set up and my minions seated appropriately as I entered.

They were silent, in reverence of my presence as I took my seat at the head of the table. One befitting my status over them.

"My Goddess!" Tyrian exclaimed. "Your beauty shines brighter than the moon reflected in the blood I draw in your name!" My most.....fanatic follower gave me a compliment in his own.....unique way.

"Thank you, Tyrian." I said evenly. I chose to ignore his usual ramblings and say just enough to keep him quiet. As competent as he was in his duties, his personality was one I had to force myself to bare with. "Cinder, Hazel." I acknowledged their presence.

"Mistress." Cinder replied with a respectful tone while Hazel gave a grunt.

"I assume the mission was a success then?" They were not cowering before me, so they were no doubt successful.

"Yes, Mistress." Cinder spoke up, never one for missing an opportunity to stand above the others. "Arthur immediately went back to his lab to work on the project after we acquired the necessary components."

"Good." I nodded, not caring that he didn\'t appear. I only needed him to create the virus for the CCTV network for our oncoming plan. "And the other parts?"

"I spoke to Sienna." Hazel replied. "She wasn\'t budging on our request, and I didn\'t see a point in pushing further. However, I heard of a certain faction within he White Fang that were more....aggressive and might be open to talks."

"I see." I said evenly. "I will give you a chance to seek them out then." A failed mission, but not one of his own faults. And he sought another opportunity. It is an acceptable outcome.

"Goddess, Goddess!" Tyrian excitedly spoke up. "I also killed all the people you told me to!"

"Well done, Tyrian." I nodded towards him. If there is one thing I can rely on him for..... "The Vale Underworld should be softened up then. That means it\'s your turn to make a move, Cinder."

"I won\'t fail you mistress." She said quickly. "But....."

"Yes?"

"Would it not be easier if you used the Grimm to – "

"No." I cut her off. "I will not be making any overt moves with the Grimm in the foreseeable future." I denied. I had made a....promise and I will not make myself a liar to him. "A situation came up, that is all you need to know."

"As you wish, Mistress." Cinder lowered her head slightly as I sent her a look.

Good. Everything was still going according to plan.

The only thought left was one that had been refusing to leave me for days now. The anticipation of when he would return refused to leave me alone. It has been a very long time since I\'ve felt excitement and anticipation for something.

***

Venelana POV (DXD)

"Oh Grayfia, what brings you here?" I noticed my Daughter-in-Law step through the door. I tilt my head at her dress. She wasn\'t in her normal Maid Attire, which meant only one thing. "Is it your day off?"

"Yes." She replied evenly. "And I was wondering if you could.....?"

"Oh dear, of course." I said without a second thought. "By all means, follow me." I offered as we walked through the house.

It was a room that was all mine. Not to say that no one was allowed in, but they were respectful of my space. "Step into my office." I said with a giggle

"Thank you, Venelana." Grayfia said with a smile herself as she pushed the door open. I followed in as she kicked off her shoes and took a seat at the bar I had set up. "I couldn\'t go out otherwise I\'d probably say something I wasn\'t supposed to." She let out a sigh.

"Don\'t worry." I reassured her. "I enjoy doing this." I walked behind the counter. "I do enjoy putting my degree to use."

"You\'re the only Devil I know that takes time to get degrees and certifications from the Human world." Grayfia said with a laugh.

"Well, I like to keep myself occupied. And I enjoy learning new things." I answered, reaching under the bar and taking out the items for mixing cocktails. "I think I would go crazy if I didn\'t take the time to pursue my hobbies like this. I can\'t see how you can do your jobs day in and day out with only the occasional day off once a month."

She let out a long winded sigh. "I question that myself at times like this."

"Trouble with my Son?" I questioned, already knowing the answer. This wasn\'t the first time she\'s complained to me at my little bar. Nor do I believe it will be the last. As she said, it\'s difficult for her to go out and enjoy herself with such a high political position.

"What isn\'t a problem these days? It seems like every other hour I\'m talking him out of doing something stupid. Just yesterday he got it into his head to go over to Kyoto, in person!" She threw her arms up. "Why would he think that\'s a good idea after everything that\'s happened!?"

"My son has always been hardheaded. Once he gets an idea in him, it\'s difficult to talk him out of it." I\'m sure it\'s even worse now that barely any people in the world can tell him \'no\' with a reasonable expectation that he can\'t retaliate.

I shook the container in my hand a few times before pouring it into a glass and garnishing with a piece of lemon. "Here you go, sweetie. It\'s something I came up with last month." I pushed it towards her.

She took a sip, blinked, then downed it all in a single motion. "I take it back. I think it should be mandatory for all Devils to get certified on cocktail mixing."

"I\'ll take that as a compliment." I said with a smile. "I take it you\'ve been successful in keeping my son from doing anything foolish?"

"With great effort." She snorted. "Well, I had to distract him a few times by going on my knees."

"Oh, boys." I rolled my eyes. "I swear, they either think with the thing between their legs, or get led around by it."

"I\'m not complaining." Grayfia replied with a little smirk. "And can I get another?" She asked.

"Coming right up." I turned around, looking at my selection of alcohol to decide what I want to make. "How\'s the talks with the other factions going?"

"Good....relatively speaking." She replied. While it was a political issue that I shouldn\'t be knowing about, I had certain privileges being the Lucifer\'s mom. Not that I would break the confidence in what I hear. Time and place for certain things. "It\'s one of the reasons I think he hasn\'t tried something else again."

"Good, he knows his priorities." I nodded in agreement. "Getting a true peace agreement with the Angels and the Grigori would be wonderful."

"Funnily enough, this whole mess might have accelerated everything. Azazel apparently noticed the movements and reached out."

"He\'s usually the one trying to bridge Heaven and us together." I commented.

"I think he wants this peace the most. The Grigori are in a bad position and it\'s just getting worse. I don\'t think it\'ll stay a faction in another century if things continued." Grayfia spoke. "But in particular, he reached out and asked if there was anything he could help with. He put two and two together and even said he\'d reach out to Michael."

"He is a sly one." I acknowledged. "It\'s sometimes easy to forget that Azazel is older than all of us with how he acts."

"Maybe he feels responsible since he\'s the one who started this whole mess." Grayfia scoffed. "Took my Husband to an escort service while they were having \'talks\' and got drunk together."

I hurriedly finished the next drink and set it down. She was going to need it if she was going down this road.

"Satans, if this continues, I don\'t know if I can keep this up. I love him, but he just keeps pushing me away." She took another sip. "The more he hears about Wilhelm, the more he just...becomes distant. It\'s like some weird combination of shame, guilt, and anger."

"Yes, well, my son will have to come to terms with his decisions and realize he can\'t control everything around him. I can only say that it might get worse before it gets better." I offered some advice.

"I\'m just....venting." She sighed. "I don\'t think it\'s going to be like –"

"Like me and Zeoticus?" I finished.

"I didn\'t mean it like that...."

"There\'s no harm done." I assured her.

"I still don\'t understand how Sirzechs and Rias haven\'t noticed." She grumbled.

I gave a little shrug. "They\'re all busy with their own issues."

"But Sirzechs should have noticed by now." Grayfia shook her head. "How long as it been and he still didn\'t think it was strange that you both never show affection anymore in public?"

"My son can be rather dense." I said dryly. "But I don\'t fault him. I\'ve said it before, he wishes to view the world through his \'perfect\' lens. The idea that his parents fell out of love doesn\'t fit into that picturesque view. If he figures it out, that\'s okay I\'ll give him a proper talk. If not, he\'ll probably find out in the future."

"Oh, have you found a new lover?" She asked.

"I admittedly haven\'t searched very hard. It\'s difficult to find someone to fit my tastes and won\'t try to use it as some kind of political tool. Not to mention I don\'t want to become a burden to Sirzechs due to his position." I shook my head. Even If I was upset with him, I loved him dearly and wouldn\'t jeopardize his position.

"Venelana." Grayfia looked surprised. "How long has it been exactly?"

I let out a laugh. "Since Rias was born."

"Really?" she blinked in surprise. "I don\'t understand how you could go that long without getting laid."

"Well, I\'m a little worried on how Rias would take it as well." I admitted. "She\'s a bit different than us. We lived through wars, and she\'s been living in the Human World for so long, I don\'t think she\'d take it well." Rias has adopted many human sentiments over the years. I wanted to wait a little bit longer until she was more mature to broach the subject.

"Rias is almost grown. You need to worry about your own happiness and needs." Grayfia retorted. "It\'s not rare for devils to fall out of love. Or even divorce in some cases. Zeoticus has his harem so it\'s not like he\'s going to complain."

"Oh, that man was very supportive. Even if we no longer love each other that way, he\'ll always be my best friend." He even subtly asked around when we talked about it. Looking for someone I could enjoy my time with.

"Even more a reason. You have nothing holding you back. Find a young man somewhere and teach him everything yourself." She said with a little smirk.

"Get myself a little boy toy?" I laughed. "I don\'t think anyone in the underworld would be brave enough to be my lover with my son as Lucifer." Another point of difficulty. I can\'t exactly go around and date.

"You could always answer some of those summons from some horny kids on the surface."

"Oh shush you. I\'m not that desperate!" I huffed with a little smile.

"Say\'s the woman on an almost twenty year dry spell."

"Alright." I giggled. "Enough with my love life. We\'re here about you."

"Maybe I should be the one serving you drinks." She snorted, finishing her latest glass. "I didn\'t have much I wanted to get off my chest. It\'s just been the same thing the past few weeks and I didn\'t want to be seen in public like this."

"Well, I had a thought then."

"A thought?"

"Mmm, it\'s about my Grandson."

"I see..."

"Oh, none of that." I huffed. "This needs to get dealt with appropriately. The longer it drags out, the more it\'s going to cause a mess if it ends up exploding."

"If you have a method to resolve everything, I\'m open to listening." Though her scowl seemed to portray otherwise. I knew she didn\'t particularly hate my wayward grandson, but it was still a sore spot for her.

"I was thinking about just sending a letter."

"Sending a letter?"

"Yes. It\'s become somewhat public knowledge that Wilhelm and Yasaka are close. So what would be wrong with delivering a letter to Yasaka in a....polite and respectful manner? Ask for it to be delivered to Wilhelm, explain myself and request a meeting."

"That\'s it?" She questioned.

"Yes." I nodded.

"No outlandish scheme, no destroying years of political good will. No making our allies even angrier with us and potentially making new enemies? No disrupting plans that have been decades in the making?" She began to list. "Just.....send a letter?"

"That is my thought, yes."

"That just might be crazy enough to work."

We shared a look and broke out into a fit of giggles.

***

Fair warning, my Beta hadn\'t looked over this chapter, so yeah, mistakes are probably more abundant. And a few perspectives that opening some things that will be happening or did happen.

Anyways, if you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my /astoryforone