Hello there readers.

Before anything else, I would like to say that I'm deeply sorry for my lack of updates for the past few months.

School became extremly difficult for a while, and I did not have too much time to write.

However, that was not all.

I have recently entered something of a tournament for creative writing… and somehow, it was on some sort of national level and I got silver.

So, seeing this, I have decided to slightly increase my own standards of writing and also work on an original novel.

So, I will definitely fix up some previous chapters in this story and change some things to make more sense or to fit the universe.

I'll try to say everything I changed/added at the start of the next chapter.

This same message will also be displayed in the other story I am currently working on.

Ritsuka woke up in the arms of a sleeping Rias, hidden behind the covers of a bed.

"Warm."

That was the first thing that came to mind when the girl regained her cognitive capabilities, her sister's warmth subtly influencing her psyche.

Ritsuka did not know why she woke up earlier than her elder sister.

Perhaps it was an accidental motion that connected with a vulnerable spot during slumber. Maybe she was just not as tired as she thought she was. It wouldn't be the first time.

Either way, Ritsuka was awake earlier than Rias, and it did not feel like she could return to her slumber.

Therefore, the girl had to get off the bed and begin her day.

Smiling compassionately to her sister, Ritsuka gently removed herself from the girl's bosom, prying away Rias's arms with the utmost amounts of gentleness.

Then, after the arms were completely out of the way, Ritsuka slowly inched away from Rias, determined not to make a sound.

After the arduous task of hopping off the bed, the girl inwardly sighed to herself, her worries relieved.

"Phew. Onee-chan's sleeping face if just too peaceful right now. I'll feel bad for days if I wake her up."

Seeing that she had succeeded, Ritsuka quickly stepped outside the room, careful not to make a single sound.

She had slept in the clothes she had worn yesterday, and they were relatively clean, different from the ones that were torn and bloodied from her battle with Kaioh.

The cred dress was quite comfortable, allowing for surprisingly good movement for something of its nature.

Ritsuka wondered what the fabric was made of. Perhaps it was some sort of cotton exclusive to the underworld? Either way, it was even more comfortable than silk.

The girl looked to the clock beside her, realizing that it was already seven a.m., meaning that her brother would already be awake, beginning his workday.

"Hmm… Nii-san… After what happened yesterday, I should say hello. Maybe apologize?"

And so, Ritsuka walked to her brother's office, wanting to apologize for what happened yesterday.

There was nothing else she could have done in the heat of the moment, but Sirzechs was forced to see the injured form of his little sister, the little sister he loved with all of his heart.

Ritsuka, not a stranger to seeing her family get hurt, felt her brother's pain.

Therefore, she would go to comfort him. It was the only thing she could actually do to elevate his emotional turmoil.

Therefore, Sirzechs, hurriedly looking over the reports of his spies from his office, received a surprise gift.

Grinding his teeth in aggression, the devil remembered the orders he had given to his underlings.

They were to utilize every resource under their disposal to find and eliminate the threat that had targeted Ritsuka. To do this, Sirzechs encouraged the devil spies from all over the world to find information from all ends, hopefully finding the identity and location of the party that had controlled Kaioh.

The devils were in touch with many spies, spread across many different parts of the world.

This was not surprising, as any non-idiotic independent faction would do the same.

The angels had them, and the fallen angels certainly had them. Probably too many for their own good…

All the devils had to do was to bribe some certain humans with the privilege of being reincarnated, and they suddenly found themselves controlling many usual men and women, capable of infiltrating many cities and countries.

They were not bound by actual demonic spells, so even if someone was suspicious, they would not be able to find anything abnormal on the bribed humans.

Perhaps some magicians would be disillusioned at promises of power with no contracts to ensure the cooperation of their payer, but there were plenty of desperate people out there who could be easily persuaded.

Even so, this convenient strategy could not be utilized on the Gods or species with intent-reading powers. Therefore, devil kind had no spies in nearly ninety-percent of divine pantheons, and attacks from certain organizations were extremly hard to predict beforehand.

Fortunately, many of the other factions faced the same problems, essentially evening the odds. Thanks to this lack of information, many factions refrained from attacking each other, overestimating the abilities and forces of the opposition. Still, it was better than underestimating them.

Now, Sirzechs realized the worthlessness of his efforts.

His spies reported nothing. Absolutely nothing of intrest.

And considering the wide scope of space he had no information on, the information was not reassuring at all.

It would appear that Kaioh and his men had been controlled by some shadow-like entity. Still, that only narrowed down the list of possible aggressors to almost all of the Divine Pantheons and several other factions.

Almost every religion had some sort of darkness god, and Sirzechs was not even familiar of them.

Even Serafall, part of the foreign department, did not meet with all of them. Gods of darkness tended to avoid being thrust into the spotlight, after all.

Still, it would be nice if Sirzechs could get some sort of information on the current threat. His sister's life was in danger, after all. Despite the abilities Ritsuka had shown so far, she was not anywhere near ready to face some of the greater threats of this world. Rias wasn't ready either, but she wasn't the one being targeted.

Grayfia, who Sirechs had almost forgotten was in the room due to his anxiety, quickly moved to pat her husband on the back.

"It will be alright. They will not dare to attack Ritsuka directly. Not when she is surrounded by so many powerful individuals. We will have to certainly minimalize her movements, but that is all."

Sirzechs smiled, slightly more relaxed. His wife always knew just what to say.

"Yes, you're right. Worrying about it will only make things worse."

Grayfia nodded in agreement. However, Sirzechs noted the frown on his wife's face.

It was only natural. Ritsuka had grown on the head maid, becoming something akin to a surrogate daughter to her. Of course she would also be worried.

And, at that exact moment, the door to Sirzechs' office opened, revealing the sprinting body of a cheerful Ritsuka.

Sirzechs smiled, his mood greatly heightened. It was not every day his sister wore a pleasant expression like that.

"Speak of the devil."

However, before Sirzechs could call out, Grayfia reprimanded the girl, using a very chiding tone.

"Ritsuka! It is still too early for you to be up! You were badly injured just yesterday! Go back to bed!"

To this scolding, the girl just grinned cheekily.

"Sorry, Grayfia-san. Can't sleep anymore."

Before the older woman could respond, Ritsuka threw herself towards Sirzechs, comfortably snuggling in his formal clothing, as if it was made of fleece instead of synthetic fiber.

"Mmm~"

Sirzechs wrapped his arms around his little sister, chuckling at her childish behavior. She had always been close with him, but it had been a while since she did something this adorable.

They stayed like this for a while, Grayfia shaking her head.

She could not interrupt this. It wouldn't sit right with her.

When enough time had passed, Sirzechs lifted Ritsuka into the air, setting her down on the ground.

"Ritsuka, is there something you wanted?"

He was correct to assume this, especially after what had happened the day before.

Sirzechs had always known that Ritsuka was strange. However, he never knew that she was this strange.

Strange magic that was different from anything he had ever seen. Combat experience unbefitting of any child. And worst of all, the ability to shrug off pain as if it were nothing.

Sirzechs had witnessed as Kaioh crushed his sister's arm. He knew how painful it was. After all, the devil had given out such pain, and received it in turn.

Even if he, a grizzled war veteran of more than a thousand years of age, was able to shrug off the pain, that did not mean that his four-year-old sister should be able to do the same.

A chill ran down Sirzechs' spine.

Perhaps Ritsuka's sense of danger was unusually warped due to her high pain-resistance. If that was the case, then he would personally have to intervene...

Still, now wasn't the time to talk about that. Now, it was time to act as a big brother.

Perhaps Ritsuka didn't need comforting from yesterday's events. However, Sirzechs would be damned if he would miss out on this.

Ritsuka smiled at Sirzechs' question.

"Nii-san! Can I see Millicas?"

The devil smiled warmly. It was nice to see Ritsuka get along with his nephew.

However.

"Millicas will only wake up after three hours. Maybe you should do something else?"

Ritsuka pouted.

"No. I'll just wait for him in his room."

Greyfia intervened, becoming more parently than before.

"Ritsuka, you will wake him up if you are not careful."

Ritsuka shrugged.

"I'll be careful then."

The head maid groaned.

"For three hours?"

Ritsuka looked her right in the eyes, bronze orbs glimmering with honesty.

"Yes."

And she intended to keep that promise. Waiting a mere three hours was probably the least challenging of all of the obstacles Ritsuka had encountered in this world.

Grayfia sighed.

"Alright. Just don't overexert yourself."

Ritsuka smiled brightly.

"Thanks, aunt Greyfia. I'll bring him down for breakfast."

Then, after hugging the head maid with her stubby arms, Ritsuka dashed off into the hallway, intent on finding Millicas's room.

When she reached it, the girl pulled open the door, rushing to the crib that held her small friend.

"There you are."

Ritsuka whispered this silently, not wanting to wake up the child.

"Well, I suppose I'll wait a while."

Ritsuka smiled gently. She had not spent time with Milicas in a while. It would be good if she could spoil him a bit.

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Ritsuka woke up to the sensation of slapping on her face. Opening her eyes, she saw the small form of Millicas cheerfully hitting her head with his small fists.

They did not do any damage. In fact, even their impact was minimal, striking with the strength of raindrops.

"Nee... Nee."

Apparently, devil children matured faster than humans. However, Millicas was one year older than Ritsuka, meaning that he was only four.

As he was not reincarnated into this life, the young devil faced the natural challenge of learning his first language.

Ritsuka, who had woken now, realized that she had fallen asleep on top of Millicas's crib-bed. She immediately rose and apologized.

"Oh, sorry Mil! I didn't think I would fall asleep!'

Calling the boy by his nickname, the former master finally greeted her young nephew.

The boy seemed to hear her apology, but gave it no mind. Crimson eyes glowing with childish warmth, he latched onto Ritsuka's face with his chubby arms, capturing her in an impromptu hug.

"Hey! Don't just jump on me like that!"

Ritsuka almost lost her balance as her head had suddenly gained more than a few pounds of extra weight.

Gently removing Millicas, who was almost her own height from her face, Ritsuka sighed.

"Mil… that's dangerous…"

However, whatever chastisement she would have uttered was completely obliviated by Millicas's current expression.

"What did Kuro call it again? Oh, that's right. The puppy eyes."

Ritsuka felt a tug at her heartstrings as she gave a mental sigh.

"Right… nevermind then."

Patting Millicas's head a few times, Ritsuka took his hand in hers, walking towards the door.

"We have to eat breakfast now. Let's go."

Hearing the adorable "yay" that came from behind her, Ritsuka's face adopted a bright smile.

She was constantly reminded of the loss of Mash and her friends, the guilt from the Lostbelts, and the tragedy of her situation.

However, with a family like this…

Maybe things won't be too bad?

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At breakfast, Ritsuka sat by Millicas by the dining table, occasionally helping him with his food, wiping his mouth whenever there was a mess.

Rias watched them with trepidation. She wanted to talk to her sister about what happened yesterday, but the young devil could read the mood. Judging by how silent everyone was, this topic was not something she should blurt out. If anything…

"Ritsuka, we need to talk."

Ah, her brother would begin the conversation instead. As expected of someone like him.

Ritsuka seemed unperturbed by Sirzechs' words, spooning another bite of steak into Millicas' happily awaiting mouth.

She knew that everyone's eyes were on her. Her parents, the maids, her own siblings. There was not a single member of the Gremory household that was left unshocked at what happened yesterday.

Ritsuka had built up quite a good reputation for herself. A cute and adorable girl who never truly antagonized anyone who did not deserve it, a little hero who would come to the aid of anyone who needed it.

All of these descriptions Ritsuka had inadvertently built around herself. In fact, there was not a single devil in the Gremory estate who minded that she was a human anymore. It was strange at first, but they adjusted quickly. Actions speak louder than appearances, and Ritsuka had managed to practically remove any racial bias against her, at least in her familial group.

Needless to say, Ritsuka Gremory was a much-loved member of her family.

However, with love often comes worry, and rightly so.

The injuries Ritsuka sustained with the conflict of the onmyoji group was devastating for a human. Even if she was healed physically, it was a wonder that her mind was not scarred by such an event.

However, subverting all expectations, Ritsuka had apparently shrugged off the pain she had endured at the hands of her aggressors, unusual even for a four-year-old devil, let alone a human.

Was she simply hiding the pain, or was her mind simply that sturdy?

Noone knew, and that was exactly why they were so worried.

Was Ritsuka bottling up the pain and resentment inside her mind with sheer willpower, or was she just so unusual that a catastrophic arm injury and stab to the chest were nothing to her? With what they had already seen from her unusual origin and mature personality, it was not something difficult to believe.

However, if it was the former, then the members of house Gremory wanted to alleviate their second-youngest-member of the bottled-up negativity. Sirzechs and Greyfia had experienced it many times in the last war, and they knew from experience that it was not pleasant in the least.

However, even with their worries, noone wanted to bring up the possibly-traumatic matter, not wanting Ritsuka to remember the pain inflicted upon her from just a day ago.

Therefore, Sirzechs began the dialogue gingerly, every word strained with a calm but supportive tone. He was ready to rush to Ritsuka's side and comfort her if there was indeed any chance of a breakdown.

Dispelling the Lucifer's worries, Ritsuka casually responded with cheer in her voice and a childish smile on her face.

"What do you want to talk about, Nii-san?"

Not expecting the casual response, Sirzechs slightly stuttered, awkwardly asking Ritsuka,

"Can we talk about what happened yesterday?"

As he said this, Ritsuka's body reacted as if struck. The girl gingerly set down the tableware in her hands onto her dish as she recovered. She slightly shivered before readjusting her posture.

"Umm… what about yesterday?"

Sirzechs cringed at his own insensitivity. Of course the brave front his sister put on yesterday was nothing but a mask to hide her mental pain. In the first place, how could a child be fine after such an ordeal? Even the negotiation with Kaioh must have been forced and uncomfortable for her.

Everyone in the room instantly understood that the topic was not one Ritsuka wanted to touch on.

The topic somehow became more awkward.

"Nothing... Forget I said anything..."

He attempted to repair the situation by changing the subject.

Ritsuka simply twiddled her fingers together, quickly readjusting her posture.

Her mother spoke from across the table, eyes twitching at Sirzechs' cowardness. She knew that his attachment towards her daughter kept him from asking her indelicate questions, but those same questions would help Ritsuka in the long run… probably.

"Ritsuka, I know that what happened yesterday was painful for you…"

She stopped for a second, a look of pain crossing her features. Venelana had not gotten over what happened to her daughter yesterday. Ritsuka's injuries would haunt her dreams for quite a while.

Seeing her young child injured to such a degree… with shattered bones and a lung puncture... it would be traumatizing for anyone.

However, even if that was the case, she wanted to do what was best for Ritsuka.

"But please, talk to us about it. Bottling up your feelings won't do any good."

Ritsuka seemed to understand, becoming a bit less uncomfortable. Her gaze rested on her plate, eyes staring at something far away.

Sirzechs' mind likened it to the look in his former comrades' eyes in the last war. They were consumed by guilt over killing their own kin, over killing countless innocent devils, that their eyes became almost glassy, as if they were reliving the days of the war. It was not quite PTSD, but it was both a cause and result of it.

His heart began to ache heavily. Of course. Ritsuka had been exposed to extremly traumatic events yesterday. The life of her friend and her own wellbeing was put under great threat. It would be a wonder if she did not develop PTSD for something like this. He seemed to ignore the fact that the pain in her eyes was mostly born from guilt, as he couldn't comprehend what the guilt would be about in the first place.

He thought that he hated Kaioh before, but that hate was so incredible heightened at this moment that the Lucifer thought he would destroy the room he was in with his sheer bloodthirst.

Even Sirzechs, a veteran of a great war, was not subject to such traumatic events at a very young age. He was a devil, one of the strongest at that. His own innate biology and age gave him a better grasp of his demons, allowing him to control his own emotions and subdue fear.

However, Ritsuka was just a human girl under the age of five. She was not the inheritor of a great power like Sirzechs and Rias, nor did she have the training to deal with this sort of psychological terror.

Sirzechs bit on his tongue to keep himself restrained.

The burning fire of his anger was joined by the cold flame of his self-loathing.

How did he allow this to happen? He was possibly the strongest Devil of his generation, hailed as one of the most influential and powerful figures in the whole underworld.

Yet, with all his power and influence, he could not even stop the assault of a weakling human onmyoji from gravely injuring his own family member…

Needless to say, Zeoticus was feeling the same way, sitting rigidly in his seat. The ornate silverware in his hands had been crumbled like sheets of paper, and the chair under him began to creak ominously, almost as if it would break any second.

However, even his wrath could not be compared to Sirzechs', which caused the entire room to shake as if it was in the path of an earthquake.

Greyfia quickly put her hand on his shoulder, flashing him an understanding look.

This calmed the Lucifer down in an instant, causing the room to stop quaking instantly.

Rias was frozen in place. She had no idea how to even react.

Ritsuka was a child that could never be truly mentally hurt no matter what happened, was what she was led to believe. She was always optimistic, never sad.

Therefore, seeing her little sister like this made Rias more than worried. Besides, with what happened yesterday… it would be a lie to say that she had gotten any sleep, a bigger lie to say that she was feeling anything resembling hunger at the moment. In fact, she had wanted to vomit the second her breakfast touched her mouth.

Rias wanted nothing more than to scold her entire family for their harsh interrogation of her sister and to keep her close so nothing like this could happen again.

However, there was nothing the crimson devil could do in this situation, and she instantly missed her opportunity after Ritsuka began to act.

Ignoring her brother's burst of power, Ritsuka spoke sadly.

"I killed them…"

Rias was befuddled.

"Wha-"

However, Zeoticus responded with a frown on his face, his tone fatherly. He understood her pain, as he had friends who felt the same after their first kill.

Kindness, morality, mercy. All were present within his young daughter, and he could not be more proud of that.

Such things were what separated the new devils from the traditionalist ones. Striving to improve themselves, to be kinder, more gentle, if not for themselves, then for the reputation of all devilkind. As a father, Zeoticus felt nothing but pride.

However, in this situation, he had to tell her that she was in the right for killing her aggressors. After all, no sane person could fault her for defending her friend and herself by any means necessary.

"Yes, and you did the right thing, Ritsuka. They had the intention to kill you, manipulation or not. You could not have saved Akeno and yourself without killing them in return."

Ritsuka still looked downcast, unable to meet anyone's eyes.

"I know that. But…"

She seemed to be unable to continue, as if the topic she was describing was not something that could be put into words.

In reality, Ritsuka was reminded of the worlds she had destroyed in her previous life, and the countless people she had consigned to oblivion.

The act of taking another life had reignited the sensation of guilt from back then. Mash was instrumental in aiding her to accept this gargantuan burden, but since she was no longer here...

"Just when I thought I got over it…"

Venelana, seeing Ritsuka's discomfort, decided that this was not the way to resolve the situation. She attempted to divert the subject.

"Ritsuka… if you don't want to talk about it right now, you don't have to. Just… talk to us when you are ready, alright?"

Ritsuka dully nodded, bringing an end to the conversation.

Then, Sirzechs brought up the point he was struggling to understand yesterday.

"I know you don't want to talk about yesterday, Ritsuka. But could you tell us of the abilities you used to fend off Kaioh? I'm still not sure what powers you used, and understanding them could let us help you with their usage."

Ritsuka replied quickly, almost too quickly.

"I'm honestly not sure"

Sirzechs frowned.

"Does it have something to do with your magic crest?"

At this, Ritsuka seemed surprised for a second, but shrugged afterwords.

"What is a magic crest?"

"It is the pattern that looks like a tattoo on your body. It allows you to use the magic of its previous users."

Rias gasped.

"So that's what it was! I thought it was too weird to be natural!"

Rias had taken baths with Ritsuka frequently, seeing the Tohsaka magic crest many times before. She sensed the latent prana radiating from the crest, but did not know what it was. The energy was practically ignored by the young devil thanks to her own overpowering power.

Sirzechs, perhaps for the first time in his life, ignored Rias.

"Ritsuka, the fact you were born with it is highly irregular. Magic crests are the family magic passed down from each generation of a magician to the next. But it is not inherited at birth, instead manually given. The fact you had one when you were born is… strange to say the least. In this case, it also means that you are a mage."

Strange would be an understatement. Venelana had almost declared war on every human mage guild on the planet after she found the magic crest on Ritsuka's body. She thought that she had been the unwilling subject of some twisted sorcery, and that her newest daughter was implanted inside of her thanks to it. Thankfully, she never held anything against Ritsuka for this, and would still see her as a daughter even if she… wasn't, but it was a harrowing thought, to say the least.

Ritsuka reacted surprisingly well when it came to this revelation.

"Oh, so that was it!"

Zeoticus frowned.

"When I fought Kaioh's men, I think I activated something, that's why I was so strong. I think… I made myself stronger? And I also remember reading something about a sword in the library, and the next thing I know, it was in my hand?"

Ritsuka seemed to become a child once more, sheepishly muttering at this point, although everyone in the room could easily hear her words.

Sirzechs muttered.

"So I suppose my little sister is a mage then…"

He was not entirely approving of the concept. Even if Henrich Cornelius Agrippa, a member of his own peerage, was a mage, Sirzechs still could not be assured of such a thing.

Mages were… eccentric and too focused on their research. He did not want Ritsuka to become like them if he could help it.

Of course, Ritsuka herself knew this.

"Um… can we stop talking about this? I don't really want to use those powers again anytime soon…"

Zeoticus understood where his daughter was coming from. What kind of father could he be if he didn't? Even so, he had to suggest the plan that would end with the best result for Ritsuka.

"Ritsuka… one of the best magicians in the world, Henrich Cornelius Agrippa, is a part of your brother's peerage. He can teach you how to use your magic properly if you agree to it. This will help you become stronger in the case of another attack."

Ritsuka almost cringed when her father said the word "magic" so carelessly, but shrugged the feeling off. She was extremly torn between taking the offer and staying away from Henrich.

Unlike the rest of her family, Ritsuka knew the full extent of her power, and the monstrous prowess of her irregular reality marble.

However, she did not want her family to find about that power.

Because if they did…

"Wait… why don't I want them to find out?"

This stray thought disoriented her for a second before she understood how much sense it made.

Why did Fujimaru Ritsuka deny the knowledge of her previous life from her new family? She was not secretive in her previous life, and had no problem sharing information.

In fact, telling her family that a world-ending threat was imminent would actually benefit her situation more than anything, as it would give them ample time to prepare. The Gremory family had access to more resources than they knew what to do with, with the added ability to alert the whole of devil kind, perhaps the whole world of the impending threat.

So why? Why was she keeping this all secret?

"No! I don't want to take lessons! I want to spend all my time with Onee-chan!"

Nevertheless, Ritsuka had made up her mind to be secretive this time, and she would not compromise on that course of action until she gave it more thought.

Rias resisted the urge to envelop her sister in a warm hug, even if she was a whole table away.

Sirzechs looked downtrodden that Ritsuka did not mention him, acting suprisingly childishly.

However, Zeoticus, being the father of Ritsuka, could not help but scold her with paternal passion. This level of disrespect was not something that could be accepted in a renowned family such as the Gremory, especially not when he made an excellent point.

A day ago, he would have been perfectly fine with Ritsuka remaining the way she was. However, that was before the attack.

The fact that enemies were able to infiltrate devil territory and assault his children had made the father more than paranoid. Adding on the fact that his youngest had been injured horribly simply cemented that paranoia.

He wanted Ritsuka to be as strong as she could be to protect herself from attack. The fact that she was a budding mage simply added to that ambition. In fact, how could she possibly be so naive to think that she could be safe without any level of strength?

"Ritsuka! Stop being childish and think of the-"

He stopped instantly as Ritsuka flinched back, unused to her father's shouts being directed at her.

The girl looked as if she had been physically struck, orange eyes dull with hurt. Ironic, as she had barely screamed as her arm was grounded to dust.

Zeoticus felt weak, as if he could barely keep his body straight in his seat.

"She looks like a chastised child…"

However, Ritsuka was simply being immature. She knew that getting stronger would only be for her benefit… right?

Right, she was not seeing the bigger picture. She was being selfish, petulant, ignorant, and...

"A child."

And then, Zoeticus collapsed onto his seat in the likeness of a puppet with its strings cut.

Since when had he begun treating his four-year-old daughter like a fully-fledged devil?

Even if she seemed so mature, it was not a fair thing to do. Ritsuka was still a child, no matter how much her behavior contradicted the fact.

Zeoticus felt the icy glare of his wife on him, promising a private scolding at a later date.

Hee felt like he deserved it.

No matter how much he wanted Ritsuka to be safe, he just couldn't find it within himself to refuse her at this moment, not after all she had been through.

Therefore, Zeoticus Gremory did the only thing he could.

Give up.

"Ritsuka, we will discuss this matter at a later date. For now, you do not have to do anything you dislike."

Ritsuka's eyes brightened. She became cheerful in an instant, practically throwing her hands in the air in joy.

"Thank you, father! I can play with you even more now, hehehe."

Zeoticus shook his head, palming his face.

Venelana looked to hin with understanding in her eyes. She knew exactly what he had felt moments ago.

"It seems that we have grown accustomed to Ritsuka being so mature, that we do not see her for the child she really is."

That appeared to be the message she was sending to him. And he would have to say, there was not much wrong with the sentiment.

Zeoticus was silent for the rest of breakfast, brooding within the confines of his own mind. It would appear that he had a lot to think on for a while.

And with that, breakfast became normal once more. Ritsuka began feeding Millicas with a silver spoon again, and Rias grabbed a seat near them to talk.

Sirzechs Lucifer, upon seeing the child-like expression on Ritsuka's face when she interacted with his sister and son, could not help but remain silent entirely.

This was something he did not want to disrupt.

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Ritsuka, after finishing breakfast, grabbed Millicas by the hand and practically flew to the family garden.

"Mother! I'm going to play with Millicas in the garden!"

Her mother shouted,

"Be back by lunch!"

"I will, mother!"

And with that, Ritsuka practically stormed into the garden, Millicas in tow.

The Gremory garden was a beautiful place.

Built under the order of Venelana Gremory, the massive greenhouse-like construct stretched as wide as the eye could see, its flowers and plants radiating every color under the sun.

Flowers of red, yellow, blue, and more, tended to by dutiful maids who tended to them with care.

The bare sunlight touched every single one of these plants, its warmth welcoming and rejuvenating.

The white marble floor was embellished in patterns of beauty and symmetry, glistening in the sunlight.

Ritsuka and Millicas walked on this floor, the former dragging the latter behind her with excitement in her every action.

"Ah, I have to show you the nightshades today, Mil! I didn't have time to do it last time we came here!"

Millicas squirmed uncomfortably, his eyes trailing to the ground.

It had been a week since he had spent time with Ritsuka. For the delicate mind of the boy, that time was far too long. He did not know exactly what she did in that time, and he did not particularly care. What he cared about was that the person who he saw as an older sister had vanished on him out of the blue for a whole week, with no explanation at that.

For the young mind of Millicas, who was quite selfish at the time, it was hurtful.

The betrayed thoughts of "Where are you", or "Why did you leave me" often came to mind, but he was too old to cry about it, left to brood alone in his petulant rage.

However, even if that was the case, Millicas was still able to ignore all the light and petty contempt after today's breakfast.

He did not understand a word about "magic crests", or "magicians".

However, this did not mean the young Millicas was foolish by any means. In fact, his intelligence could be considered prodigal for a human, but above average for a devil.

During the conversation with his family, Millicas had recognized the body language and dark tones his grandfather and aunt had taken. It was quite frightening for a child who had never been exposed to that kind of mood before, but he was more worried than anything else.

The conversation seemed to imply that Ritsuka had been hurt, or that she was in danger. Millicas was familiar with these terms, as they were the same topics that appeared in the stories Ritsuka read to him every night.

Ritsuka told the best stories.

Like the tale of the valiant king, a righteous ruler with an order of knights by her side. The tale that inspired the young Millicas to always be just, and to always be fair to your people.

Or the tale of the golden king, a charismatic king with all the treasures of the world. This tale inspired Millicas to make friends at every opportunity, treasuring them above all else.

However, some of her stories were a little… dark for him.

Some of the stories had ended on cliffhangers, like the story of the valiant king. No matter how much he begged Ritsuka to tell him what happened after the unification of Britain, she continued to simply give him a sad, apologetic smile and refuse in a manner so kind that he could not possibly press more on a good conscience.

All of these stories told of conflicts, both external and external, and Ritsuka was not too shy on the battles she described.

And one of dark stories was…

"Nee-chan…"

The girl stopped walking and looked at him.

"Are you going to disappear forever, like the doctor?"

Ritsuka choked on her own saliva, almost tripping over her own legs.

"M-M-Mil?! What in the world gave you that idea?!"

In reality, there was no true correlation between the tale and Ritsuka's current situation.

However, a year ago, Ritsuka told Millicas the tale of her adventures in the Temple of Time. Without using names, of course. A few things were edited out, but Ritsuka was able to make it understandable.

She was desperate to share something of her previous life, not wanting to be the only one knowing of her adventures. It made her feel… alone.

Unfortunately, Ritsuka did not edit the story nearly enough, something she found out the hard way after Velelana scolded her for giving Millicas a taste of existential crisis. She did not think that he would emphasize so readily with the characters, but he did.

He was also clever enough to grasp the concept of disappearing from everywhere, making him highly afraid of the fate of Solomon.

Millicas mumbled, fiddling with his thumbs cutely.

"I-it's just… you were talking like you were keeping secrets from everyone…"

Ritsuka's eyes widened in surprise.

Millicas was clearly too clever for his own good. He always was, even Ritsuka realized this. And yet, this caught her off guard.

She stumbled back, unprepared for those words.

Millicas seemed to take her actions as an affirmation of his conjecture, wilting meekly.

To liken Ritsuka's actions to the secrecy and actions of Romani Arachman, who sacrificed himself to stop Goetia…

She would be deeply vexed if the comparison was made by anyone else, as the memories that came with the reminder was not something to be brought up by someone who did not even know doctor Romani.

However, this was Millicas. Ritsuka had been with him for practically every step of his young life, and she thought of him as her own little brother.

A few ignorant words were not enough to make her displeased.

Therefore, she corrected the boy.

"No, no, no. Millicas, I'm not hiding anything big like that!"

The boy pouted sadly. He realized that Ritsuka had not denied hiding information altogether.

"But you are hiding something?"

Ritsuka's eyes grew grim for a second before she nodded solidly. She could not lie to Millicas. She was Fujimaru Ritsuka. There were simply some things she could never do.

"Yes."

Millicas shook his head in denial, not believing what he was hearing. He himself knew that the thoughts in his mind were childish. Therefore, the boy had expected that his outrageous claims would be instantly shot down, not confirmed.

"W-What-"

Ritsuka rubbed the little devil's head warmly,

"Mil. In this world, nothing is eternal."

The boy became fearful, his eyes glimmering with worry.

Ritsuka began to regret her words, but decided to continue her statement. The boy was mature enough to handle the information.

"Everything will come to an end. Not even the gods can escape such a fate. Therefore, there will be a day when I disappear. There will also be a day when you disappear."

Millicas's eyes widened in fear. Ritsuka inwardly winced as she realized that she had given the boy another taste of cosmic horror at such a young age.

"Then… then, you're keeping secrets? You… you're going to disappear?"

The young devil's voice cracked at the last word, his body shaking in fear.

Ritsuka grabbed his shoulders, steading the shivering boy.

"However! Just because everything ends doesn't mean it's going to end right now!"

Millicas winced as Ritsuka's voice became too loud. The girl quickly looked around, realizing the eyes of many servants were upon her. She instantly quieted down after that.

"Millicas."

The boy straightened himself, attention completely focused on Ritsuka. She only used his full name when serious, and that he should pay complete attention when listening.

"I am not hiding anything that would put me, or anyone else in immediate danger. I won't die, and I won't allow anyone we love to die. Understood?"

Millicas nodded, convinced this time. Somehow, he just knew, deep in his heart, that Ritsuka was being completely honest.

"I promise that I won't leave you until you're ready for it, ok?"

The boy held out his small hand, extending a pinkie.

"P-promise?"

Ritsuka, amused, smiled understandingly.

"Promise."

She hooked her pinky around his, sealing the small "pact". This seemed to reassure Millicas, calming him down.

"O-ok, Nee-chan."

Ritsuka patted him on the head, affectionately messing up his red hair.

"Good. Now, let's go pick some flowers."

Millicas smiled, his mood lightening again. The weight in his heart had been lifted, and everything was back to normal, at least that was what it felt like to him.

As Ritsuka dragged her adorable nephew across the massive Gremory garden, she couldn't help but feel an awful premonition in her gut, as if the peace and quiet she had nurtured for the past few years would soon be eradicated.

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Millicas had stayed with Ritsuka for the whole day.

Even when the former master had promised him that they would not be separated anytime soon, the young devil still clung to her like a newborn babe, desperate to ensure that her presence was genuine.

It was endearing, and Ritsuka was glad that the little devil showed this much compassion towards her.

Moreover, she was impressed with his mental capabilities, being able to decipher the atmosphere and words spoken at breakfast. Millicas would surely grow to be a fearsome devil indeed.

Smiling gingerly, Ritsuka brushed back a lock of Millicas' hair that was covering his face, hugging him closer to herself.

"I've never had a younger sibling before. It feels… nice."

Tucking the boy further in her covers, Ritsuka lied down on the bed herself, wrapping a short arm him to keep him close.

The sound of the young devil's adorable snores almost made her chuckle. It was just too adorable.

"Yes, it's been a long day. Maybe I should just take a break now."

Ritsuka closed her eyes, preparing for the next day to come.

The warmth of Millicas spread across Ritsuka's body, the natural heat coercing her to sleep even more than her own physical exhaustion.

And sleep, she did.

Ritsuka slept calmly and quietly for hours into the night, not even snoring or moving.

She just lay still, eyes closed to the world around her.

However, she was anything but blind towards the black shadow that seemed to be slowly approaching the bed.

Like a pool of darkness in an already lightless room, lit only by the scant amounts of natural light emitted through the shuttered window.

Moving closer without a sound, the shadow seemed to be intent on reaching Ritsuka, prepared to enact whatever nefarious purpose it was created for.

Just as the first tendril of the shadow pool was an inch from reaching Ritsuka's feet, her eyes abruptly opened in an instant, revealing twin shocked orbs, glaring down at the shadow in horror.

It was an instinct developed from her journeys, something that barely allowed her to avoid fatal attacks and hidden strikes in moments of false safety.

It wasn't good enough to be called an ability, and any attack with the sufficient speed could easily bypass it with utter ease. However, this little trick was more than enough to detect a slow-moving shadow hiding in the cover of night.

However, as slow as the shadow was, Ritsuka had reacted too late.

As soon as her eyes opened, the shadow had grasped onto her legs with a burst of speed, forsaking stealth for speed.

Ritsuka clenched her teeth as her legs sunk into the pool of darkness, feeling as if they were encased in malleable walls of slime. It made sounds like a real, tangible material, which meant that it was not a spectral ability or entity, but a real organism made of sludge that just happened to camouflage in the cover of night. The dark creature seemed to be rapidly spreading across her body, as it was now moving from her legs to her waist.

Instead of panicking when confronted by the surprising threat, Ritsuka's mind immediately began to think of countermeasures. It was something that she picked up extremly early in her Grand Order days. Back then, she had faced much more stealthy and grotesque enemies than a pile of black sludge.

It did not seem to corrupt, as the former master did not detect anything unusual inside her body. The dark thing was simply a restraining tool, something could be easily countered.

However, that only went for magi and supernatural beings. It was not something that Ritsuka, who only had a random bunch of new heirloom magic circuits could handle. Judging by the speed it traveled and the dexterity of its "body", the shadow was something the girl could not defeat.

Therefore, Ritsuka forcefully shook awake Millicas, who was sleeping next to her.

The boy rubbed his eyes, not used to abrupt awakenings. He was slightly angry at his sister, who he immediately noticed was the one who woke him up.

"Nee-chan! Why did you-"

Devils were not like humans, unable to see in the dark. In fact, they had near-perfect night vision.

This was why Millicas noticed Ritsuka gritting her teeth and struggling ferociously against a strange black slime that seemed to be consuming her from the legs up. At this point, the creature had already consumed her up to her stomach, but was unable to reach her arms. The girl had cleverly held over her head in an attempt to keep it away from the creature.

Millicas' mouth went dry as his eyes dilated in horror.

"Nee-chan! What is going on?!"

Ritsuka grit her teeth in frustration before turning to the young devil to inform him of the situation.

And then, the situation changed.

The girl hissed in pain as smoke began to appear from the slime, the scent of burning flesh permeating through the air.

The slime creature had begun to melt her.

Millicas was petrified in fear and revulsion, his small ruby eyes wide in terror.

"What can I do? Nee-chan, Nee-chan is hurting!"

And then, the young devil realized his own powerlessness.

He was Millicas, son of Sirzechs Lucifer. He had inherited abilities that many devils would kill their own families for. He had access to more privileges than he could explore in a lifetime. His strength and potential were so great that he had been declared a prodigy seconds after his birth.

So why?

Why couldn't he just protect Ritsuka, one of the people he cared about the most? She was someone who loved Millicas like a younger brother, always going out of her way to make him happy in any way she could.

Millicas loved Ritsuka like an older sister, he loved her just as much as his parents.

In fact, when the young devil found out that his aunt was just a human, he did not distance himself from her at all, nor did he behave any differently than usual.

No, that information only gave Millicas a desire to be stronger, to reach a level of power that would allow him to protect Ritsuka. He even fantasized about it sometimes, getting the girl herself to act in his skits.

He had told Ritsuka multiple times that he would eventually grow strong enough to protect her. She did not laugh or disapprove of the sentiment, only encouraging him on his path. Millicas himself believe that if any danger arose, he would instantly be there to rescue his beloved aunt from danger.

So why?

Why was he petrified as Ritsuka was in danger? Why was he so afraid of a clearly weaker enemy that he could not even move a muscle in his body?

"I-I have to saver her! B-but how? That thing is. It's so-"

Scary? Yes, in the cover of darkness, a sentient slime was indeed terrifying. Like a silent predator of the night, consuming all who crossed its path.

To a child, of course it would be scary. Adding on the fact that it was already devouring one of his loved ones, it was not surprising that someone as young as Millicas would become panicked and petrified.

However, Millicas himself could not accept it.

"N-no! I promised that I would protect her! Move! Move, damn it!"

And then, Ritsuka stared straight into Millicas's eyes. Her expression was understanding, as she could clearly see the dread and terror present in his eyes.

Gripping the boy's shoulders to steady him, Ritsuka ignored the acidic slime that covered her body up to her shoulders.

"Mil. Flare your aura. If you clearly display your Power of Destruction, then Nii-san will sense it. Understood?"

Millicas could feel tears running down his eyes at Ritsuka's current state. He stopped hesitating altogether.

Nodding wordlessly, the boy focused his aura of destruction around him, spreading it out as far as he could. The small amount would not damage Ritsuka, but it was enough to spread across the entire estate in due time.

And as the shadowy creature began to encroach on the bottom of the former master's face, the small door to her bedroom was completely blown off its hinges, a massive hole replacing the pristine walls that formerly encased the room.

Ritsuka did not even receive the opportunity to lay eyes on her brother's silhouette before Sirzechs Lucifer flew across the large room, his power completely obliterating the black slime in an instant.

Worried emerald eyes trailed up Ritsuka's damaged body, suffering from minor burn wounds inflicted by the creature's carnivorous nature. Charred flesh was accompanied by the damaged linen of the girl's pajamas, showing off her wounds for all to see.

Sirzechs' hands unconsciously glowed with a green light before he put them onto Ritsuka's wounds, healing the surface touched within seconds.

Millicas, seeing that the danger was over, buried his head in Ritsuka's chest, sobbing his eyes out at the conclusion of the nefarious event.

Sirzechs' face was unnaturally devoid of expression as he attempted to control his anger and outrage, but Ritsuka knew that it was for naught as she sensed his domineering aura.

For a while, the room was almost, quiet, accompanied only by the soft rhythm of Millicas' sobs.

Then, Rias and Greyfia burst into the damaged room, immediately followed by Zeoticus and Venelana. They all bore horrified expressions as soon as they saw the state Ritsuka was in. Rias immediately dashed to her side, offering soft and soothing words in an attempt to calm her sister's "pained" form.

The Gremory parents, instantly assessing that Ritsuka's injuries were almost healed and that the enemy was long gone, began to shower both Millicas and the girl with countless questions. They did not want to overwhelm their daughter, but the most important thing in the situation as to assess the threat and track it to its source.

And Ritsuka?

On the outside, the girl appeared to be traumatized by the event, her left eye twitching strangely.

In reality, she was angrier than she had been in years.

"Twice. Twice! These basterds attacked me twice!"

At this point, Ritsuka had begun to shake in fury. Rias seemed to misunderstand, and held her sister in her arms, patting the girl's back in a calming manner.

"It's ok. It's ok, Ritsuka. Everything's going to be all right."

This pissed Ritsuka off to the point where her magic crest began to radiate prana at an abnormal quantity.

It had only been five years. Five years since she was born. She was part of the most powerful Devil family in the underworld, and was blessed with an ever-watchful older brother with the power to rival the gods of this world. With this power, came security. With security, came a situation that promised safety.

So why in the blazes was Ritsuka almost assassinated twice in the span of 48 hours?!

Was this Alaya's attempt at chastising her for not acting? Was this Zeldretch's idea of a "prank" to keep her on her toes?

Ritsuka was not unaccustomed to the unusual. In fact, she had adapted to such a thing years ago.

This was why she was angry. Angry at the world for allowing such an unusual occurrence, and angry at herself for not expecting it.

If Ritsuka activated her magic circuits earlier, then Akeno's life would not have been in jeopardy. If she had used the abilities within her inner world, Millicas would not have had to almost watch her die.

Yes, Ritsuka was mad. Mad at her own stupidity, and at the world, for claiming that the act of spending time with her family as such. But since she was so accustomed to the world's unfairness, the girl was mostly frustrated with herself.

At this point, Sirzechs had finished healing Ritsuka's body, and had begun to soothingly ask her questions. The rest of her family was doing the same, and the still-crying Millicas was trying his best to answer.

Seeing the residual terror in his cute little eyes added upon the raving bonfire that was Ritsuka's fury, and she immediately got off the bed and walked out of the room to quench it.

Rias seemed to be calling Ritsuka's name from behind, the master was too deep in thought to pay her any attention. Nor did she have any thought to the fact that her clothes had been completely destroyed.

She headed to the bathroom without a word, hypothesizing of ways to unlock her magic circuits without her family knowing.

Turning on the sink, Ritsuka washed her face with soap, staring at her reflection in the mirror after she finished. Since she had to tip-toe to reach the sink, the girl could only see the top half of her face.

The former master came to a decision in that moment.

If she ever managed to find the person who orchestrated the attacks on her person, she would not show mercy. Even if it's the Ritsuka who detested killing for no reason, she would not be able to guarantee their life.

After all, they were the people who took away Ritsuka's precious time with her family. In this world, that was not something she could forgive easily.

As Ritsuka stared into the eyes of her reflection, the Tohsaka crest on her body began to burn with azure light as her unawoken magic circuits began to stir thanks to its arcane energies.

And thus, the Master of Chaldea made her first debut in this brave new world. A debut that was more momentous than the birth of a god.

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How many years had it been?

How many years since the start of her journey?

A fragment of a greater whole, cast into a role that she did not even think was possible?

Countless years, countless experiences, cascading into a new life of wonder.

Here, she was born anew.

Here, she was loved.

Here, she was supreme.

However, the original objective had not been forgotten.

The task she had been given.

The person who was in need of her aid.

The Master she swore to serve.

The woman she swore to love.

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Over the next few days or weeks, I will probably do a lot of revisions on Ritsuka's origins and the prologue. If any drastic changes are made, I'll write them down at the start of the newest chapter, like I already said.