Today, the members of Leo's servant team didn't go out for special training. Instead, he called all of them into his tent, where they sat together in front of him.
"No training today?"
Yukinoshita Yukino asked, arms crossed, looking at Leo as he yawned in front of them.
The others also looked at him. There was curiosity in their expressions, but no real confusion.
After half a month of intense training, the four servant girls had changed noticeably. Not only had their strength increased significantly, their presence and demeanor were completely different from before. They sat there quietly, waiting for Leo's instructions, calm and composed—as if no matter what happened, they could accept it without panic.
Seeing Yukinoshita Yukino and the others like this, Leo didn't say anything, but inwardly he was very satisfied.
He knew that before this, even though they had gained supernatural power by becoming his servants and were no longer ordinary girls, their mindset hadn't fully changed.
The Old Maou Faction's attack had forced the first shift in their mentality, but it was only a step away from being ordinary people.
This half month of special training was different. They'd endured levels of intense training and high-pressure combat they'd never experienced before—things that would have been unimaginable for their past selves.
Just the morning sessions alone were brutal enough to be considered lethal. Even strong-willed men might not have lasted. Yet they not only endured it, they did so while being relentlessly bombarded and interfered with by Leo himself. If that treatment were applied to some fragile, pampered girls, they would have exploded long ago.
Yukinoshita Yukino and the others had persevered all the way through, and the results were obvious. They had finally developed the awareness and confidence that they were no longer ordinary girls. Their words and actions had become calmer and more grounded.
Now, they were truly qualified servants—qualified supernatural fighters.
If they were sent back to the time of the Old Maou Faction's attack, Leo was confident they could clear the first five rooms together and reach the throne room where he had been waiting.
"Today, we're going to the Gremory territory."
Facing their gazes, Leo spoke casually, one hand on his waist, the other hanging loosely.
The Gremory territory?
Wasn't that Rias-senpai's family land?
Yukinoshita Yukino and the others exchanged glances, then looked back at Leo in silent question.
"Well…"
Leo explained everything about his conversation with Sirzechs the previous day.
"After I contacted Sirzechs-sama, he told me to head straight to his place today and wait for him there. The Phenex family will also be there. We'll meet them in person—and meet the Phenex family's young lady who's about to become my servant. Your new teammate."
The girls looked enlightened at first, then puzzled again.
"So devils can become servants too?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha muttered. "I thought only non-devil races could accept Evil Pieces and reincarnate into devils to become servants."
"Why would a devil need Evil Pieces to become someone else's servant?" she added. "They're already devils."
"That's where you're making assumptions," Leo said, shaking his head. "It's true that most servants are reincarnated from other races, but devils becoming servants isn't rare."
"Some devils are born commoners. By becoming a High-Class Devil's servant, they gain access to efficient training methods and powerful backing. Others use it as a way to connect with noble pureblood devils and climb the ranks."
"Some are recruited because of their exceptional talent or strength, caught the eye of a noble High-Class Devil, and are invited to join their servant team."
"Don't think devils wouldn't want to be servants. Because of the Rating Game, many devils want a stage to prove their worth and rise within devil society. They look for Kings with potential and strength—just like medieval knights choosing a lord worthy of their loyalty."
"That's why plenty of devils willingly become servants, especially under powerful Kings with strong teams. Once a team makes a name for itself in the Rating Game, there's no shortage of devils wanting to join."
Ravel Phenex was in a similar position.
The House Phenex believed in Leo's future—and in the future of the Eligos' servants. They believed he would rise to prominence in the Underworld, so they were willing to let their precious daughter follow him and stake her future on his success.
If Leo eventually became a pillar of the devil world, holding a status not inferior to a Maou, then even the position of servant would far surpass that of an ordinary noble lady.
That was why so many devil families were willing to send their own people and let Leo choose.
As long as there was profit to be gained, what did it matter if they became servants?
That was the devil way of thinking.
"Of course…" Leo continued, "all of that depends on whether we're worth it."
"In the past, we were nobodies—or rather, I didn't have enough recognition in the devil world yet. That's why none of this happened."
"But now, we've proven our value. Plenty of people are interested."
"The Phenex family's young lady is the one I chose. She's the only one I was interested in."
"Today, we'll meet her and see what she's really like."
In truth, it was a two-way choice.
Leo wanted to meet her, and she wanted to meet him—to decide whether he was truly worth serving.
"The Phenex family, huh?"
Yuuki Asuna sounded intrigued. "Is she really able to make Phoenix Tears?"
"And she has an Immortal Body, right?"
Mahiru asked, clearly remembering that family. "Is there really a devil you can't kill?"
The girls began asking questions one after another.
"How should I put it…"
Leo scratched his head.
"Phoenix Tears—she can definitely make them. Anyone from the House Phenex can. But producing them casually is impossible. It requires special rituals, so even if they exist, there won't be many."
"As for Immortal Body, it's true that Phenex devils can revive even after being reduced to ashes. But the body can regenerate—the mind might not. The most direct way to defeat a Phenex is to destroy their spirit, or exhaust their demonic power until they can't regenerate anymore."
"If the power gap is large enough, it's even possible to crush both mind and body at once. So Immortal Body is strong, but it's not invincible."
Otherwise, the House Phenex would have ruled the Underworld long ago.
Because their weakness is so obvious, their position in the devil world is solid—but not overwhelming. They can't compare to the great noble houses or families tied directly to Maou.
"You don't need to see her as something untouchable," Leo said. "Even if she's a phoenix, she's not above you. Honestly, she's probably below you."
That wasn't arrogance—it was the truth.
At the very least, compared to Yukinoshita Yukino and Mahiru, who were Longinus hosts, the so-called phoenix girl fell short.
What truly made the Phenex family special was their ability to produce Phoenix Tears and their Immortal Body. One was for healing, the other merely made them hard to kill. Neither meant they were overwhelmingly strong.
The strongest Phenex in the present era was only an Ultimate-Class Devil. Whether any of them had ever reached Maou-Class was unknown. Perhaps the founding ancestor did—but among later generations, such strength was extremely rare, if it existed at all.
Even in the original story, no member of the Phenex family ever displayed Maou-Class strength.
That was why they invested in the Red Dragon Emperor back then—and why they were now interested in Leo.
"Get ready. We'll leave soon," Leo said once their questions died down. "We'll teleport directly using a magic circle. It won't take long."
The girls nodded in unison and left the tent to change.
—
Underworld, Gremory territory.
Like the Eligos Territory, the Gremory territory was vast—comparable in size to Honshu—but much of it was undeveloped. Mountains, forests, and enormous lakes stretched as far as the eye could see.
The difference was that the Gremory House, now at the height of its power in the devil world, had many populated areas. Towns, cities, and castles dotted the land.
Since ancient times, members of the Gremory House appeared at important events riding Gomorin camels, making Gomorin the family's mascot. The Gremory House was also famously wealthy. Their trait allowed them to discover treasures, and its members were known for their deep emotions.
That was why Sirzechs and Rias were both known for doting on their servants.
To them, servants were treasures they had personally unearthed.
Thanks to this, every generation of the Gremory House produced outstanding figures, each commanding capable servant teams that managed their territory with remarkable efficiency.
That day, in front of the Gremory main residence, a magic circle suddenly appeared. Leo and his group emerged from the red light.
"We're here."
Leo stepped out first and spoke to his servants—but received no response.
They were all frozen, stunned by the sight before them.
"Th-this is the Gremory House?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha pointed at the scene, her voice trembling.
The others didn't speak, but their reactions were much the same.
Before them stood an enormous castle, surrounded by a garden so vast it was hard to take in all at once.
Flower beds bloomed with brilliant colors, wide roads gleamed, neatly arranged greenery lined the paths, and elegant fountains sprayed water into the air. Birds flew across the sky like something out of a fairy tale.
The girls were speechless. They couldn't believe this was a family's private residence.
Calling it a king's palace wouldn't have been an exaggeration.
They had already thought Leo's estate was incredibly luxurious. The Yukinoshita, Shiina, and Yuuki families certainly didn't live anywhere like that. But compared to this castle and its grounds, Leo's place felt small—like it would barely take up a corner here.
"Already shocked?"
Leo understood their reaction. "The real show hasn't even started."
As they arrived, the castle gates slowly opened. A red carpet rolled out from within, stretching across the ground.
Groups of maids and butlers poured out, forming lines on either side of the carpet. Music played as they bowed in unison.
"Welcome to the Gremory residence."
The one at the front was Sirzechs' Queen—Grayfia Lucifuge.
She bowed politely, her expression perfectly calm, ignoring the girls' stunned faces.
"Sirzechs-sama and the members of the House Phenex are already waiting. Please proceed inside."
With that, Grayfia stepped aside and gestured invitingly.
"Thank you."
Leo nodded to her. Seeing the girls still frozen, he reached out and took Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuuki Asuna by the hand, leading them forward along the carpet.
Kasumigaoka Utaha and Mahiru snapped out of it and hurried to follow.
The five of them passed through the massive gates and entered the castle, walking through one door after another along a long, luxurious corridor until they reached what looked like a grand hall.
A staircase led to the second floor. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling. Nearby, a door stood open, revealing what appeared to be a reception room.
Under Grayfia's guidance, they entered the room and saw the people chatting inside.
"You've arrived?"
One man turned around with a smile.
It was Sirzechs.
As for the others present—they immediately drew everyone's attention.
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You can read up to chapter 182 on patreon.com/NiaXD.