Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward.
If Tokyo was the heart of the country, then Chiyoda was the heart of Tokyo.
It sat right in the center of the metropolis, with the Imperial Palace as its focal point. Political power gathered here in dense clusters—places like the National Diet Building, the Supreme Court, and the central ministries. Nagatacho housed the Prime Minister's official residence and party headquarters, while Kasumigaseki was packed with government offices. Even the museum for showcasing territorial sovereignty was in this ward. Administrative, commercial, and cultural functions all overlapped here, giving it an outsize presence—both geographically and symbolically.
Right now, inside an underground bar in Chiyoda, a boy named Leo showed up where he clearly didn't belong.
The place was full of middle-aged men drinking and talking. A young guy who didn't even look old enough to be an adult stood out so badly it was almost painful. People kept glancing his way, their expressions… complicated.
Leo ignored all of it and walked straight to the counter before taking a seat.
"Just give me something to drink. Anything."
He didn't look nervous or timid like someone coming here for the first time. If anything, he acted like a regular—casual and unbothered—which immediately set off whispers from the people watching him.
The bartender didn't even look up. Without a word, he pulled out several bottles, mixed them with practiced ease, and slid a glass of deep crimson liquor in front of Leo.
Anyone who knew what they were looking at felt their eyes widen.
That drink wasn't on the menu. It was something reserved for "special" customers—better than anything they served normally, and absurdly expensive.
In other words, you didn't get a glass like that unless you had the right status… and the money to match.
And yet this kid—who might not even be of age—had gotten it instantly.
Who the hell was he?
The murmurs died. Now people just stared, trying to read something from him.
They were going to be disappointed.
"The aroma's really nice," Leo said, lifting the glass and giving it a small swirl. "Musashi-san kept insisting I had to try this at least once."
He brought the glass closer, breathed it in—
And before it could reach his lips, a slender hand slid in and stopped him.
"You're not officially an adult yet. By this country's laws, you're not allowed to drink, Leo-sama."
Ravel had appeared at his side without warning. She didn't care about the stunned looks being thrown their way as she delivered the reminder like it was the most important thing in the world.
"I'm not from this country," Leo protested. "And I'm basically about to come of age anyway. What's a few days?"
"No," Ravel said flatly, refusing to budge.
She sounded like a strict celebrity manager laying down rules for daily life.
"When you're in someone else's territory, you follow their rules. That's basic noble etiquette. And you are still a minor. Please wait until you're of age before you drink."
With that, she snatched the glass from his hand.
Then—under a sea of horrified stares—she poured the expensive liquor out on the spot.
It was like she'd just shattered everyone's worldview at once.
"...Fine," Leo sighed, lifting his shoulders. "Guess I picked myself up a really strict nanny."
"As your servant, it's my duty to help you become better," Ravel declared, puffing out her chest with an exaggerated pride that didn't match her age at all. "The past is the past, but now that I'm here, I'm responsible for making sure you become a proper noble. That will also benefit the future restoration of House Eligos."
"Alright, alright, you've got a point," Leo said, laughing despite himself. "But before any of that—finish the job I gave you."
He leaned back slightly.
"So? Have you figured Tokyo out yet?"
Ravel's expression sharpened.
"Yes. I've collected a useful amount of actionable intelligence. I was just about to report to you, Leo-sama."
She sat beside him, pulled out a small notebook she kept on her, and flipped it open.
Leo watched her for a moment, then waved a hand. The bartender immediately approached in silence, setting down a cup of black tea and a chilled drink.
Leo picked up the cold drink and took a long sip. Ravel ignored the tea in front of her and began her report with meticulous seriousness.
"This is a very unusual place. It isn't controlled by devils the way Kuoh Town is, and it isn't the Church's territory like Chiba. Tokyo is managed by human exorcists."
"Possibly because this is the nation's capital, human control is extremely strict. They don't leave even the smallest opening for outsiders. Aside from the Church—which is also a human faction—other groups can barely operate here."
She tapped the notebook lightly with a finger.
"That includes us. It's difficult for devils to conduct business here—being summoned by humans, taking commissions, earning payment. The environment doesn't allow it."
"Even the Church's influence is limited. Perhaps because of Heaven, the exorcist factions here stay wary of them."
"So the dominant power isn't Heaven, and it isn't the Underworld. It isn't even the Church."
"It's the major exorcist families, led by the Five Great Clans. Even organized mage groups struggle to gain a foothold here. The atmosphere is hostile to outsiders. The three great factions can only establish small hidden outposts."
As she said "outposts," Ravel glanced around the bar.
Leo gave a small nod.
This bar was one of those outposts—secretly controlled by devils. Not everyone who came here was a devil, but devils visiting Tokyo generally made a stop at places like this. It was useful. A reliable source of information, and a place to get bearings.
Leo had learned about it from Miyamoto Musashi. Even though Musashi was a figure from centuries ago, she still dropped by now and then to drink a couple of glasses. Musashino was right next door, after all—this area wasn't unfamiliar to her.
That "special" menu wasn't meant for humans. It was meant for devils.
And Leo wasn't bothering to conceal the flow of his demonic power, so the bartender had recognized him immediately and silently fulfilled his request.
Ravel continued.
"The Shinomiya Family is a massive conglomerate with total assets reaching two hundred trillion yen. They own over a thousand subsidiaries and are the largest financial group in this country. Their main household is located in this area, very close to the central district. That alone tells you how high their status is."
"It matches what you already knew, Leo-sama. With their influence and standing, they're qualified to touch part of the supernatural world. For a long time, they've been making contact and building friendly ties with exorcist families through various channels—including the Five Great Clans."
"At this point, the Five Great Clans even accept Shinomiya funding every year. Their cooperation is deep."
"At the Shinomiya estate, there are always exorcists stationed there—many of them from the Five Great Clans. Every important member of the household also has guards assigned to them."
Ravel flipped a page, then brought up the intel Leo cared about most.
"Kaguya Shinomiya is the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya Family. She is protected twenty-four hours a day by a professional who has undergone exorcist training."
"On the surface, that person is her maid. But in reality, her abilities are exceptional. Even if a High-Class Devil acted personally, there's no guarantee they could get past her and reach Kaguya Shinomiya."
Leo blinked.
"That 'maid' is…?"
Ravel didn't hesitate.
"Ai Hayasaka. She comes from the Hayasaka Family—once a prestigious household that could establish itself in Tokyo. They were no weaker than the Yuuki Family, possibly even stronger."
"But they lost a major competition against the Shinomiya Family. From that point on, they fell into decline, became a ruined house, and were absorbed by Shinomiya."
"Ai Hayasaka, as part of the Hayasaka Family, became spoils of war."
Ravel's eyes stayed steady as she spoke.
"Fortunately, she has one-quarter exorcist blood. The Shinomiya Family valued that. They brought her under their wing and entrusted her training to the Five Great Clans."
"After receiving exorcist education since childhood, she returned to the Shinomiya household once she completed her training. In the end, she was assigned to Kaguya Shinomiya as her maid and close attendant."
It was obvious Ravel had dug deeply into Ai Hayasaka.
And her tone turned even more serious.
"This Ai Hayasaka only has one-quarter exorcist blood, but her talent seems extremely high. After graduating her training, she reportedly hunted down many outsiders—including some with High-Class Devil-level strength. She's not easy to deal with."
For Ravel to say that meant she genuinely considered Ai Hayasaka dangerous.
At the very least… she didn't believe she could beat her.
"And then?" Leo asked, thoughtful. "Aside from Ai Hayasaka, is there any other force protecting Kaguya Shinomiya?"
"No," Ravel said, shaking her head. "Ai Hayasaka is the only exorcist with supernatural power at her side. Everyone else is just ordinary people."
"That's bold," Leo muttered, lips twitching. "They're not worried someone could beat Ai Hayasaka and go after her?"
With the Shinomiya Family's wealth and status, there were countless people watching them.
Not to mention the devil world—there were absolutely devils with eyes on Shinomiya.
The Shinomiya Family was practically the "heart" of the nation. Whoever controlled them could influence the country's future. It could become a one-faction kingdom shaped by a single power, rather than a place where different regions were controlled by different forces like it was now.
If a devil gained control over Shinomiya, devil business in this country could expand without restraint. Why would they need to care about the Church or fallen angels then?
So of course people were watching.
And if Kaguya Shinomiya only had one guard…
Wouldn't she be easy to grab?
Unless that guard was a Maou-Class existence, she wouldn't be enough to scare off the predators circling from every direction.
"About that," Ravel said, as if she'd expected the question, "it may be because Kaguya Shinomiya's status within the family is low."
She explained without hesitation.
"Although she's the eldest daughter, it's said her mother was a top hostess in the nightlife world. Her father, Gan'an Shinomiya, was obsessed with her back then—completely taken in."
"Later, due to heart disease, her mother left that work and returned to her hometown to recover. When she appeared again, she was already pregnant with Kaguya Shinomiya."
"The Shinomiya household fell into chaos for a time. Many believed Kaguya Shinomiya was another man's child and wanted her gone."
"But Gan'an Shinomiya firmly insisted she was his child. He refused a paternity test, and rumors about whether Kaguya Shinomiya was truly his biological daughter have persisted ever since."
"Not long after, her mother passed away. After that, Gan'an Shinomiya seemed to forget his daughter even existed. He showed her no concern at all."
With a background like that, her position in the household was easy to imagine.
So even though she was the eldest daughter, she only had one maid who doubled as a guard—because the family simply didn't value her.
It wasn't a secret difficult to uncover. If Ravel knew it, others did too.
And because of that, fewer people targeted Kaguya Shinomiya. They didn't believe using an unloved daughter would be enough to control the entire Shinomiya Family.
"That's good news for us," Ravel said. "At least we won't have to clash with the Five Great Clans."
"As long as we can defeat Ai Hayasaka, we can get close to Kaguya Shinomiya and obtain the Tablet of Destiny from her."
Ravel clearly thought Leo's goal here would be easy to achieve.
Maybe she didn't feel confident about beating Ai Hayasaka herself…
But Leo was Leo.
Ai Hayasaka, at most, had defeated some High-Class Devil-level outsiders. Could she really beat an Ultimate-Class Devil?
Leo didn't just have Ultimate-Class Devil-level demonic power—he also possessed the world's second-strongest Longinus.
And now he'd reached Balance Breaker.
Not only could he handle a High-Class Devil-level opponent…
Even a Maou-Class existence wouldn't necessarily be out of his league.
If Leo acted, someone like Ai Hayasaka should be nothing more than a quick, casual grab—hardly worth mentioning.
Which meant obtaining the Tablet of Destiny should be simple.
That was what Ravel believed.
But Leo didn't share her optimism.
"She's still a daughter of the Shinomiya Family," he said, not fully buying it. "If she were that easy to control, she wouldn't have made it this far."
He finished his tea and stood up.
"But… sure. We can try making contact first."
"I'll lead the way," Ravel said, quickly putting her notebook away.
Together, under the watchful stares of the bar's patrons, they left the underground bar.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
You can read up to chapter 187 on patreon.com/NiaXD.