A Few Hours Later...
Morning arrived quietly.
The first rays of sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the office, bathing the room in warm golden hues. The soft light illuminated the stacks of documents that were now perfectly organized, reviewed, signed, and sorted. Alear had spent the entire night working without interruption, taking advantage of the absolute silence to catch up on various pending matters: formal responses to noble families, drafts of future commercial contracts, territorial reports, and the initial preparations for several of his plans.
Leaning back in his chair, he let out a long sigh of satisfaction as he looked at the desk, finally free of its most urgent responsibilities.
In his right hand rested a small fine porcelain cup. Inside it, a high-quality sake reflected the morning light in a soft golden hue. The drink had been created by him during the night, using relatively simple alchemical techniques combined with his vast knowledge. The result was a refined sake with a delicate floral aroma, balanced sweetness, and a clean, pleasant finish, easily surpassing most varieties available in the Underworld.
Alear brought the cup to his lips and took a slow sip.
The warm liquid slid smoothly down his throat, spreading a pleasant warmth throughout his body. The flavor was excellent. Exactly what he needed after a long, productive, and emotionally exhausting night.
"Not bad..." he murmured to himself, lightly swirling the cup between his fingers. "Maybe I should produce this on a larger scale in the future..."
For a moment, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the tranquility of the morning.
In truth, there was a specific reason why he had chosen to make sake. Normally, his preferred drink was whisky. However, throughout that night, his thoughts had remained fixed on a single person: the Nobunaga who existed in his memories. During their days in Chaldea, the two had become best friends. They spent much of their time together, sharing meals, meaningless conversations, dangerous missions, and countless absurd situations that only that place seemed capable of providing.
Because of that, after waking up from reliving those memories through the Cycle of Dreams, the first thing that came to mind was the sake she loved so much. More than that, he remembered the countless occasions when the two of them had drunk together, whether to celebrate a victory, relax after a mission, or simply pass the time talking about random subjects.
It was a small and even somewhat sentimental gesture. But at that moment, creating that drink was the simplest way he had found to deal with the strange mixture of nostalgia, longing, and melancholy that still lingered in his heart...
After a night spent reminiscing about the past, drinking, and above all working, Alear finally felt that he had managed to organize his thoughts. The melancholy that had accompanied him since awakening no longer weighed on him as heavily as before. The memories were still there, as precious as they were painful, but he had adjusted his mindset and accepted that he could not remain trapped by them forever. The past was important, but there was still a future ahead of him...
As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, he brought the cup to his lips and took another sip of sake, feeling its pleasant warmth spread through his body. Little by little, his thoughts began to drift away from memories of Chaldea and return to the matters that truly demanded his attention in the present.
Among them, there was one in particular.
The meeting scheduled with the Gremory Family the following day.
Alear rested his elbow on the desk and watched the golden rays of morning pass through the office windows. It would be an important conversation for his future plans, and although he was not particularly worried about the meeting, he knew he needed to be "prepared"...
Stretching out his arm, he pulled a specific document from a separate folder. It was a summarized report regarding the current situation of the Gremory Family after Venelana's departure, having been dismissed by him nearly three days earlier. For some reason, the news that the agreement between the Gäap-Häagenti Family and the Gremory Family had been dissolved spread rapidly throughout the Underworld. As a result, rumors began circulating from all sides, and many came to believe that the Gremory were on the verge of bankruptcy.
Although reality was not as simple as the rumors suggested, the impact had been undeniable. The confidence of several business partners had declined, investors had begun acting cautiously, and numerous noble families had started distancing themselves politically from the Gremory to avoid any potential losses. In just two days, the family's economic and political influence had suffered a considerable decline, creating a delicate situation that could hardly be ignored...
Alear leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the desk.
"Venelana..." he thought, a faint ironic smile appearing at the corner of his lips.
For someone with his perception, it was obvious that she harbored deep feelings for him. It was almost like a mixture between a housewife dissatisfied with her husband and a young teenager experiencing her first crush: a combination of intense attachment, emotional dependence, and the desire to reclaim something she believed she had lost. After everything they had shared, he had no doubt that Venelana would do almost anything to return to the position she once held, both as his secretary and as someone close to him.
However, he had no intention whatsoever of making things easy.
Recently, he had concluded a far more advantageous agreement with the Agares Family. Accepting modest proposals from the Gremory simply because of his relationship with Venelana would be a strategic mistake. It would weaken his position in future negotiations and create the impression that his decisions could be influenced by personal factors. For someone in his position, credibility and consistency were far too valuable to be sacrificed for sentimentality...
Even so...
He frowned slightly.
If he rejected every proposal outright, he knew exactly what would happen. Sooner or later, Sirzechs Lucifer would personally appear to speak with him. His intuition told him that Sirzechs was an extremely intelligent and calculating individual, the type who hid those traits behind a gentle smile, impeccable manners, and the carefully cultivated image of the "Hero of the Underworld." And most of the time, he trusted his own intuition.
Precisely because of that, dealing with Sirzechs would probably be exhausting. If he was truly going to meet him soon, it would be better to make some preparations in advance.
"What a hassle..." he muttered, taking another sip of sake.
Alear set the document down on the desk and crossed his arms, gazing through the window at the garden illuminated by the soft morning light.
He did not intend to give in easily. But neither could he completely ignore the Gremory. A direct confrontation with Sirzechs at that moment would not be ideal. Fortunately, he already had several ideas in mind. Still, he would ensure that any agreement reached would be extremely beneficial to him. After all, nobody had forced Venelana to treat him as though he were a naïve and easily manipulated young man. Perhaps he had allowed her to believe that over time, but that did not mean he was someone accommodating.
He was not particularly vindictive, but he was also far from tolerant when someone attempted to take advantage of him. If the Gremory Family wished to rebuild the influence they had lost, then they would pay an appropriate price for it. And he intended to extract as many benefits as possible from that negotiation before considering any concessions...
Well, in any case, everything would be resolved the next day.
With that thought, he casually placed the document back on the desk and lightly shook his head, pushing aside his concerns regarding the Gremory Family and Sirzechs for another time. There was no reason to keep dwelling on it first thing in the morning. The meeting would take place soon enough, and until then, speculating about every possibility would change absolutely nothing.
When the time came, he would deal with it.
He finished the remaining sake in one final sip, feeling the pleasant warmth slide down his throat, and stood up from his chair. Stretching his shoulders slightly, he left the office and headed toward the mansion's main dining room. Upon entering the spacious room, he was greeted by the aroma of fresh coffee, freshly baked bread, and scrambled eggs that already filled the air. Lotte had prepared the table with her usual efficiency, leaving everything impeccably organized...
Seated in one of the chairs, still wearing an obvious sleepy expression, was Maria. She wore a cute light-lilac pajama set consisting of short shorts and a sleeveless top that left much of her pale skin exposed. Her silver hair was slightly messy, and she yawned occasionally while absentmindedly stirring a cup of tea.
"Good morning, Alear-sama~," she greeted with a lazy but affectionate smile as soon as she saw him enter.
"Good morning, Maria." He responded with a faint smile as he approached the table. "And Mio and Ravel? Haven't they come down yet?"
Maria rested her chin on her hand and began swinging her feet beneath the table.
"They were finishing getting ready. They should be down soon..."
She had barely finished speaking when soft footsteps echoed through the hallway.
A few moments later, Mio and Ravel appeared almost simultaneously at the entrance of the dining room. Both were still dressed in comfortable clothes for staying at home. Mio wore a black pajama set accompanied by shorts that emphasized her thick thighs, while Ravel had chosen a more elegant light-beige outfit, though still casual, with a blouse that left part of her shoulders exposed.
"Good morning, Alear..." Mio said, quickly approaching him. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek.
"Good morning, Alear-sama..." Ravel added with her usual grace, leaning in to place a kiss on his other cheek.
"Good morning to both of you as well."
After that, everyone took their seats at the table. Mio sat on his right, Ravel on his left, and Maria remained seated across from him.
Over the next several minutes, the atmosphere remained light and relaxed as the four of them ate breakfast. The conversation flowed naturally from one topic to another, allowing everyone to enjoy the tranquility of the morning without needing to think about politics, noble responsibilities, or exhausting training sessions.
"The bread is especially good today," Mio commented while spreading butter on a slice. "Lotte really outdid herself."
"I agree," said Ravel, sipping her tea with her usual elegance. "But I still prefer that almond bread she made yesterday..."
Maria let out a small laugh and poked a piece of fruit with her fork.
"You two are so demanding..." She rested her face in her hand before continuing. "I just want to know when we'll get to eat something sweeter. Like a huge strawberry cake~ Alear-sama, don't you think we deserve a reward after yesterday's hellish training?"
Alear smiled faintly as he cut a piece of omelet on his plate.
"Huh? You've already received plenty of rewards from me during the last two weeks inside the Longinus, and you still want more? Don't be so greedy..."
Mio immediately blushed and coughed lightly, while Ravel looked away with a small discreet smile on her lips.
Maria, naturally, was not shaken in the slightest.
"That was only the warm-up!" she declared with complete conviction. "I'm still growing, you know? I need nutrients... and special attention~"
Alear merely shook his head, already accustomed to that sort of comment.
The conversation continued becoming increasingly casual. They talked about the pleasant weather that morning, a book Ravel had recently started reading, Mio complaining that her hair became impossible to brush after more intense training sessions, and of course, Maria taking every opportunity to tease the other two...
It was a rare moment of peace. For a few brief moments, the enormous mansion felt less like the residence of a noble family entangled in political affairs and more like an ordinary home, filled only with trivial conversations, occasional laughter, and the quiet comfort of each other's company...
The pleasant breakfast atmosphere was abruptly interrupted.
A powerful presence suddenly appeared in the corner of the dining room. The air seemed to distort for an instant before Nobunaga materialized, emerging from her spiritual form. She casually held the bottle of sake that Alear had left in the office, spinning it between her fingers with an appraising look.
"Hmm... Not bad for a sake," she commented aloud, speaking directly to Alear as though the other three girls did not even exist. "It has a clean flavor and a good warming effect. Where did you buy this, kid? If you have more, I'll take it. I'm thirsty... I just spent the entire night traveling across the Underworld and saw quite a few interesting things..."
Maria, Mio, and Ravel reacted almost simultaneously.
"Who are you?!" Mio sprang to her feet, her pink eyes shining with alertness as demonic energy began to gather around her.
Ravel also stood up, a cold and hostile expression on her face, golden flames already dancing between her fingers.
"Intruder! How dare you enter the mansion without permission?!" Eka exclaimed, positioning herself protectively beside Alear.
Despite her cute pajamas, Maria also shifted into a combat stance, partially materialized succubus wings appearing on her back.
"Hey! Who the hell is this arrogant shorty?!"
All three girls were ready to attack at any moment, clearly alarmed by the sudden appearance of such a powerful stranger inside the mansion.
Alear let out a long sigh, massaging his temple with his fingers.
"Relax. All three of you, sit down. There's no need for this."
He looked toward Nobunaga, who was watching the scene with an amused and slightly mocking smile, completely unfazed by the hostile reactions.
"She is one of my Servants. Her name is Nobunaga..."
Nobunaga let out a short, sharp laugh, resting the bottle of sake on her shoulder as though it were a sword.
"Heh... Servant? What a funny word. I still haven't decided whether I'm going to call you Master or not, kid." She shrugged, completely relaxed. "But yes, I'm here because of him. You can stop looking like you've seen a ghost. If I wanted to kill someone here, I would have already done it. I don't like wasting time with boring preliminaries."
She then turned her gaze back to Alear, ignoring the three girls once again as though they were irrelevant.
"So, do you have more of that sake or not?"
Mio, Ravel, and Maria exchanged confused and indignant looks. The arrogant and carefree attitude of the newcomer was clearly irritating them.
Maria was the first to protest:
"Hey! Are you ignoring us on purpose?!"
Nobunaga merely smirked, showing her canines.
"If you're not important to the conversation, why should I bother paying attention?"
Alear sighed once again, already anticipating that things were about to become noisy.
_______________
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