It was a great day.

Weekends were always the busiest for obvious reasons. The sun was shining as people were bustling around the shopping district of Kuoh. Customers came and went with some still waiting for an available seat and to be served by their favorite servant. That was fine.

There was a science about having crowds. When a crowd of people gather, the average person would grow curious and wander into the crowd to see what had gathered their attention. It snowballed until the crowd became a small mob. So long as what it was that gathered them together remained to be as intriguing as before.

And Legion was the most intriguing place in the boulevard. While people waited in line at the reception desk or huddled in the lounge for a seat, shoppers passing by would see and wonder what made this place so special. With the lunch hour coming soon, most ventured in.

In a sense, it was free advertisement.

Unfortunately, it seemed to not be affecting the male populous today.

Something was going down in the shopping district that had the boulevard flooded with women. Some super sale in a couple of the dress and shoe stores. That snowballed to all other women's accessories slapping on flash sales. Word got around, women tweeted to their coworkers and friends, and more women arrived to hound the place like ravenous wolves smelling a bleeding lamb.

The usual female clientele came by to gossip with their favorite butlers. Some of them even wanted to chat with the maids, though those were too few today. Most of the maids had nothing to do and were supporting the butlers with food orders.

However, due to the conditions of their wager, Lolifor wasn't making any money today. His compatriot and bane of his existence, Momo dearest, was the one reaping the full harvest of today's fruit.

There were methods to counter this. Subterfuge, propaganda, and leaking a special offer for male clientele online were some of them. And they were still permitted in their wager— they were still methods of business and anything went in this game of theirs. However, for the long goal, it would be better to support Momo.

He treated today as indirect advertisement.

"Oh, hey, Ise," Lolifor's smile never shifted as he helped one woman find a butler and sent her off. The first male of the day had arrived and one of his best customers at that. "Just you today? Asia's working and she'll love to see you."

The boy was different today. He didn't have the other two leeches attached to his arm, which wasn't irregular as they often cheated on the other and snuck in solo. There was an understanding among the three of them where they won't go without all of them. It was a vow they had each broken.

It wouldn't be good for business if a confrontation broke out in the middle of his establishment. Lolifor had caught wind of their oath and gave them complimentary VIP services whenever more than one of them showed up without the others' notice. And always they missed another.

So far, only Hyoudou Issei had arrived today. Though Lolifor expected the other two background characters to show up sometime today. More than that, Issei had dressed well with clear intent. The boy had taken a little extra care in his appearance today.

His face said otherwise though. Lolifor was able to read him like a book and know what the boy was going to say.

"Actually… about that," Issei bowed his head and rubbed the back of his head. His expression was full of guilt. "Can I ask for a favor? Can I speak with Asia-chan? Just for a sec? There's something really important I need to tell her…"

Momo was giving him a sideways glance as soon as she finished the next person in line. Immediately his ribs tingled with phantom pain. She was silently telling Lolifor to deal with the matter as discreetly as possible and to not cause a scene at their busiest time. Or else.

He ignore her. While, sure, the occasional creep showed up to confess their love to the maids, they were dealt with. Issei… wasn't one of those.

Mostly because the kid was too much of a pussy to dare.

"Yeah, sure," Lolifor responded as he reached for the phone. "I'll call for her. Just wait outside."

"Thanks," Issei gave a small smile as he excused himself.

Lolifor did as was requested. He called the backroom, asked for Asia, and told her there was someone visiting her out front. As soon as he put the phone down, he waved for the next customer to approach.

He watched Asia cross through the lobby while he went through the normal procedure with the next two customers. He watched her exit the building, meet up with Issei off of the side from the entrance, and exchange a few short words. Issei bowed to her and Asia looked shocked. To anyone observing, it looked like a normal confession. The women in the lobby watching through the glass pane were whispering and snickering among themselves.

Asia regained her composure. She put up her best smile, said something, and waited for Issei's response. Issei blinked, raised his head, and stared at Asia for a moment. He eventually smiled, rubbed the back of his head, a few more words were exchanged, and Asia waved him off as he went on his way.

It looked like he had just been rejected. Both children were putting up a front to pretend the embarrassing situation never happened.

However, there were too many things wrong.

Smiling was a language of its own. It wasn't always full of happiness. It had its own rules of grammar and punctuation. Hardly anyone knew how to read it aside from the obvious lines.

When the third customer came up in line (and was a total cunt— aka tsundere— about not wanting the butler but felt obligated to request him), Asia walked back through the lobby and past the reception desk. She never dropped her smile.

When finished, Lolifor didn't wave for the next customer. He pretended to be busy by looking down behind the desk. He argued with himself.

While Lolifor understood the human psyche better than those Devils (and by God were they bland when starting out), he was not a man of morality. Or emotions. Both of those weren't useful in the methodical world of business.

But the human resource was the single most valuable resource in the business world. And humans ran off of emotions. And to have negative emotions meant an abrupt decrease in productivity and efficiency.

He ended up picking up the phone again and this time pressed the button for the bar. "Moé, take over for me."

He received an affirmative. It was hardly noon. The barkeep had nothing to do and he was overqualified to replace Lolifor in this task.

Minutes later, he found Asia by herself in one of the private rooms. Every maid had a keycard that allowed them access into a room, which would alert the security network, as well as pop up their name on the screen on the door. Finding her wasn't difficult.

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Lolifor," she said, sniffling. She had been crying. "I-I know I'm not supposed to use a room like this. I'll get back to work!"

He shut the door behind him and leaned against it, placing his hands in his pockets. He stared at Asia for a moment.

"Asia, no, please," he said in a bland tone. He didn't have his usual charming (if not deceptively fake) smile. "You're not cute when you're crying. Tell me what's wrong."

He also had no idea how to comfort a lady without trying to get in her pants. It was like asking anyone to perform a habitual practice backwards. It was the same thing, just in a different direction.

Asia was a gorgeous creature who rivaled the angels. But… she was a little old for his tastes.

"It's…" Asia fidgeted in her seat for a moment. "Ise-kun. He… He wanted to tell me something."

"Uh huh…" Lolifor nodded slowly, gesturing her to continue.

"He said he can't see me anymore…" Asia whispered softly. "He… thought I should know."

Lolifor didn't think of the implications on why Asia would by crying over something like this. He had a couple of educated guesses but that wasn't the problem.

Issei was one of his best customers. To lose him meant a huge depletion in his profits. Which meant he was now at a horrible disadvantage to Momo.

"Did he say why?" he asked.

Issei was still some kid in high school who probably freeloaded off his parents. They more than likely found out he spent the money they gave him on this place and forbade him from coming again.

Already Lolifor was formulating a plan to convert the boy's parents to the truth of the world.

Asia didn't answer for a long moment. "He… he said he got a girlfriend."

Silence.

"What," Lolifor's voice was flat enough to make a road off of.

"I… I'm happy for him," Asia went on with a saddened smile and soft voice. "Really, I am. I wished him well. But… I don't know why I'm crying. Ise-kun, he… Mr. Lolifor, do you know why—"

"Yeah, hold that thought," Lolifor said as he was in the middle of punching a command onto the service phone on the wall.

There came a chime that rang throughout the entire building, including through the private rooms, connecting everything to the phone Lolifor was using.

"Paging Orange-sensei," he said in his professional voice used in the front desk. "Last call. Orange-sensei. Your table is ready."

He hit the button to end the announcement before hanging up the receiver.

"…Eh?" Asia squeaked. "Mr. Lolifor… t-that was."

"It is," he growled as his eyes sharpened. He turned around and put his hands on his hips. "We need to hurry Asia. We have a serious Code: Orange."

0-0-0

"Code: Orange," Sona muttered as her hand twitched. She was using all of her mentality to compel her hand from pinching the ridge of her nose. "And I quote directly from your employee manual: When one client of Legion falls into a relationship. I read about it. I did not think you were this serious about it."

"Is it really such an emergency to call all of us here?" Tsubaki, her Queen, questioned with a raised hand.

Roughly half of the maids currently working today had been gathered to a hidden room behind the wine cellar. The other half were still topside putting up a front for the establishment. To be more clear, the human girls were still working while those belonging to the supernatural were dragged down here.

Rias, Sona, and their Queens were the four Devils present. There was one Fallen Angel present, a lycanthrope, a fairy, and two others that couldn't be identified with them. The only pure human present was Lolifor himself and Asia Argento.

The bartender was also present. He was a tall and lanky young man the same age as Sona with clammy skin and soft brown skin. Most of the time he was an aloof man who spent more time ogling the maids instead of treating his patrons. But, today, it was the first time anyone had seen him with such a grim expression.

Sona refused to call him human because there was something off about him. While nowhere near as graceful as Quinn, the bartender bore a strikingly similar energy signature to the Head Butler.

The room Lolifor had led them to was what he called the War Room. There was an elongated table in the middle for all of them and three times more. A podium was placed at the head for Lolifor to explain things followed by a large screen behind him which took up most of the wall.

There was also a coffee and tea making station with a cart full of snacks off to the side.

"I'll have you know everything I do is serious," Lolifor began in a firm tone. He gripped both sides of the podium while looking at each of the girls. "And this can't get any more serious. Moé, the screen."

Luc Moé, the bartender, pulled out his miniature tablet and tapped a few buttons. The screen behind them lit up with a serious of smaller panels of different video feed and images popping up.

"T-That!" the Fallen girl, who looked a full decade too young to be working at this establishment, nearly leapt out of her chair.

"This previous Thursday, at 17:42, the suspect approached Hyoudou Issei and confessed," Lolifor began his briefing. Moé enlarged a security camera snapshot of a pair of high school students over the intersection bridge. "Hyoudou-san fell victim to her charm and is currently within her clutches. The target has been identified as Amano Yuuma. However… all forms of identification have been falsified with evidence of hacking into mundane networks. We're currently investigating individuals suspect victim to glamour enthrallment. We've yet to receive confirmation from our field agents."

"…We have field agents?" the lycanthrope questioned aloud.

"Lolifor-san, if I may," Rias raised her hand. "I would like to know the cause of alarm. Is it because you believe Hyoudou-san has been deceived through hypnosis?"

"Unfortunately," Lolifor shook his head ruefully, "there is no evidence that points Hyoudou-san has been placed under a compulsion. Earlier today he felt the responsibility to alert Asia on his relationship status. If he was under the girl's mind control then he wouldn't be having these sort of emotions."

"So… he is dating her of his own will," Akeno surmised. "Mittelt-chan, right? You seem to know who that is."

The Fallen girl fidgeted in her seat.

"Who she is doesn't matter," Lolifor cut in. "It's also not our business to learn of her personal matters aside from identifying her. What's more important is retrieving Hyoudou-san."

"Do you have reason to believe this girl is dangerous?" Sona asked. She knew who and what this girl was. But she had no reason to share this sort of information with Lolifor. Plus, she had her suspicions he already knew about her.

"Her position is of no relevance to this mission," Lolifor spoke sharply. "All you need to worry about is she's capable of seducing one of this establishment's most esteemed clients. We cannot afford to lose him to anybody. It will destabilize everything."

They all stared at him in silence.

"You can't be serious," Rias was the one who spoke up first. "I understand if you think Hyoudou-san is in harm's way but… don't you think that's a bit much? You want to break them up… because he's a customer?"

"The customer, Miss Gremory," Lolifor said and then nodded at Moé.

Moé nodded back and worked on his tablet. The screen changed to a set of statistics, reports, and charts. Lolifor pulled out a laser pointer from the podium.

"The importance isn't the amount of revenue Hyoudou-san brings in with his visits," he said as he directed at a graph dedicated purely to Issei Hyoudou's expenses. "The importance is what else he brings in. Hyoudou-san offers suggestions on what to request with other clients who aren't bold enough to ask themselves, making them spend more than they intended. He talks about this place zealously, giving us a wanton of advertisement. And he compliments each and every girl working here in unique ways, proving their strongpoints while indirectly critiquing their faults. To receive the positive praise of Hyoudou-san means you are worthy to work here."

"That doesn't really mean much," Akeno said. "Hyoudou-san is notorious for being a pervert in our school."

"You think we perverts don't have standards?!" Moé shouted, shoving Lolifor off the podium so he could stand at the center. "What? You think anyone with big tits is good enough?! No! There is a science behind this!"

The screen changed again. Mathematical equations and sketches of the human body appeared.

"Size, shape, age, height, weight; these things are all calculated without conscious effort. But even with the perfect body crafted by the gods it's not enough. It's all about charm. How do you smile? How do you talk? What are you wearing? How do you pose? These are all the things that add character to the model.

"How you present yourself tells a full story on who you are and what kind of person you strive to be. It shows how much you value yourself. It shows your strengths and weaknesses. That is why we painstakingly tailored each and every uniform of everyone working here. That is why we gave you the bare minimum education in serving. We want each of our girls to maintain their personalities.

"We perverts have refined taste. We treat our admiration like wine. It is as much of an art as it is a skill. Please do not insult my brother again."

Lolifor, the nameless fairy, and Asia clapped at Moé's lecture. Everyone else stared at him with equal amounts of disgust and awe for his passion.

"I… see…" Akeno said with a strained smile.

"In any case," Lolifor approached the podium once again. "It is very vital we retrieve Hyoudou-san."

"How do you propose we do that, Master Loli?" the fairy questioned. Her eyes went back to the screen. In the corner was a live stream of the boy's date with the girl. "They look happy together. It would be a shame to break them up."

"Oh please," Lolifor blew a raspberry. "They're teenagers. The only thing more fake about their love is Mittelt's—"

"For the last time, they're not padded!" the Fallen girl shrieked while slamming her fists onto the table.

"It'll be bad for our reputation if we break up any real relationship," Moé spoke up. "We already get heat for being homewreckers with some of our clients. We try to stay away from that as best we can. I think, for something like this, how about a test?"

Lolifor raised a brow at the suggestion, "Oh? That's not a bad idea. One of ours goes and tries to seduce Ise back? If it works, the relationship was never meant to be. And if it doesn't…"

"We drop the issue and find another way to beat Momo," Moé waved a hand.

"I-I-I-I'll do it!" Asia blurted out with a heated face but a determined look. "I-Ise-kun is my client! I'll bring him back!"

"I'm going to be that guy and decline, Asia," Lolifor frowned.

"…Eh?" Asia blinked as if someone had just pulled the chair she sat on.

"Ise is as dense as he is stupid," Lolifor propped an elbow on the podium and his chin into his hand. He tilted his head to look at the screen behind him. "Even if you finally confess to him, he'll think you're trying to make him come here instead. While that is what we're trying to achieve, we need something a little… bolder."

Asia looked like a kicked puppy.

"Good luck," Mittelt crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "Raynare is a serious bitch but she's good at what she does. There's nobody she can't seduce."

Nobody remarked the sudden revelation of the girl's name. They either all already knew about it or didn't care.

"Yeah, I'd hit that too…" Lolifor muttered with disgust at himself. "We need a serious countermeasure then. Akeno-chan, think you can drag Hyoudou-san back?"

"Please don't use my name so casually," she replied with a sweet smile. "And I don't believe I'm qualified for such a labor."

"I think you're overqualified," Lolifor retorted as his eyes went to her chest.

"All the more reason to not go," she bit back with the same smile.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Loli," Moé said at his side. "As gorgeous as she is, Akeno-chan is kinda boring. I'd take the 2D waifu any day over a mannequin."

He stuck his thumb over his shoulder, gesturing at Raynare on screen. She and Issei were at a café eating deserts.

With his euphemism, would that make Raynare the '2D waifu' and Akeno some faceless dress-up doll for display use only?

Akeno's smile remained perfectly still.

"So we need someone with the same grade of personality as Asia…" Lolifor muttered in thought. "Combined with the physical appeal of Akeno-chan. Hmm… Miss Gremory, heads or tails?"

"Me?" Rias blinked. "Wait. Why? What am I flipping against? To go or not?"

"Over you or Miss Sitri," Lolifor said while digging in his pocket for a coin. Moé whipped one out, already prepared for this event as though he foresaw it in the future.

"Me?!" Sona's eyes widened for an instant. "Lolifor-san, I am fully against this sort of exposition in the first place. This isn't the way to maintain the loyalty of clients. Furthermore, why are you singling me out?"

"I'd thought you'd be flattered," Lolifor replied. "I just said you're just as good as Miss Gremory."

"That's not the point."

"I just went on a couple of minutes about perverts and standards!" Moé threw up his arms. "Okay, look, Sona, while you might not be as stacked as Rias, you're just as pretty. Plus you have this appeal of the nigh-unapproachable librarian with the heart of a romantic. All you need to do is—"

"They're on the move," seriousness returned once Lolifor glanced at the screen again. He turned back to the two Devils, "Heads or tails. Or I pick which one of you two go."

"And if we refuse to partake?" Sona shot back.

"If I recall, thanks to two Kings who will not be announced, during working hours I own you," he returned with a smile that outshone anything anyone else was capable of upholding. "Heads or tails."

Rias and Sona blanched.

0-0-0

"I should file a case for sexual harassment," Sona quipped after Rias left.

"We get those all the time but not one has been able to win," Lolifor returned casually. "Besides, you'd lose all that greed. Even if the business went under and you get your contractors back, they'd all be saying 'That's not how Legion did it'. You'd be treated as knockoffs with a high unsatisfactory rating regardless if your quality becomes better than ours."

"You seem overly confident in the loyalty of your customers," Sona rebuked as she fixed her glasses. "Yet you can't seem to control a single one of them."

"You herd sheep, not pull them on leashes," he said. They stopped walking in the hallway halfway to the front dining area. "People are very easy to understand, Sona. If you make them happy, they'll always come back. Even the dour ones come back when all they do is complain. Ise isn't any different. He came back to say goodbye to Asia. He felt something with her and this place."

That, she couldn't deny. Whenever a regular contractor had to sever ties or share they wouldn't be able to summon anyone for a prolonged period, they would always contact her or her pieces and alert them. But that was always because there was something of a partnership with the humans.

This place was a restaurant. Yet, Lolifor and Miss Shotalini had been able to create something that created intimacy between strangers.

"Have a little more confidence in yourself, Miss Sitri," Lolifor shrugged.

"I do not have doubts about myself, Lolifor-san. I just don't appreciate the way you look at me or my friends."

"It's my job to look at you this way," he said with his crooked smile. "Sona, you're great and you've got an amazing pair of legs, but you're so not my type. I prefer younger women."

"…How old are you exactly, Lolifor-san?"

"Eighteen," he answered immediately.

She wasn't surprised. She knew he was young. "You're no older than I am."

"Please don't tell me you're interested," he said with an irksome expression.

"I'm only wondering how you came about this business at such an early age. There are licenses and permits that need to be filed. Those take a fair deal of time. There is also construction and refurbishing that needs to be taken into consideration. Plus, as you said, you have been managing things for more than half a year."

He didn't say anything. He was expecting her to continue.

"Shouldn't you still be in school?" she finally asked.

He was quiet for a moment. Either composing some ludicrous lie of a story or a fraction of the actual truth. "Shit went down about a year ago. School closed down."

"Have you never pursued to finish your education?" her eyes narrowed as her instincts as the student council president kicked in.

"School was a vacation to me," he bounced off the wall and gave her his erratic smile. "High school girls, teenage drama, proms and dances and all that. I even appreciated the homework. I wanted to experience that at least once. I didn't get to finish my junior year but didn't want to reenroll in another school. That place was kinda special to me. So I got my GED and… well, here I am."

"You mean… you didn't even finish your second year?" she was exasperated.

"My technical third," he corrected with a raised finger. "We suffer four years of high school."

She looked at him for a moment. "Have you ever considered returning to school? You're still young, Lolifor-san."

"We all gotta come back from vacation at some point, Miss Sitri," he said with his crooked smile slanting further. "I got everything I needed from school already. Don't you think I'm a successful entrepreneur?"

"To be curt… I have to say you are wasting your potential in this," she adjusted her glasses again.

"You know, that's exactly what Artemis said," he said, sticking his hands into his pocket and readying to walk back to his post. "Friend of mine back in high school. He said I could probably solve most of the world's problems and I don't doubt him. I just don't care enough to do any of that."

Sona said nothing. His words could have been as exaggerated as everything else he did. But… she recalled the wish to rule the world Shotalini requested. The application Sona used said it was highly possible, which meant Shotalini had the resources to pull it off on her own. And if she were in some sort of game with Lolifor, did that mean he too could do the same?

Could he solve most of the world's problems? Or was he simply being whimsical with his words?

"That's enough chat," he said suddenly. "We kept our customers waiting long enough. You're needed in Room 7. Someone requested you personally."

"There was no indication at all we received any customers on our side," she noted. "I did not receive a notice on my tablet nor have you received any messages."

"The podium in the War Room is linked to all devices," he answered, prepared. "There's a monitor on it that lets me control the main display hub. And the request was originally made to Tina but she's busy with something. There was a mess in the kitchen and she's helping with the cleanup."

"…I see," she nodded. "Anything about this particular client I should be aware of?"

His crooked smile stretched his lips. "Just… be as much of yourself as possible."

She didn't understand his words. She didn't have a chance to question him as he turned around and headed out of the hallway.

Sona breathed out softly before gathering her bearings. She composed herself, pulled the tablet out of the sleeve of her apron, and made her way to her appointed room. She swiped her keycard in, knocked, and entered the room.

"Excuse me," she announced as she came in. "Thank you for waiting. I'm Sona Shitori and I will be your maid for the…"

She paused as she eyed the client. She recognized him.

"Hi, Tina-chan," Genshirou Saji lit up like a beacon at the sight of her. "I don't know what it is, but you look exactly like Shitori-kaichou!"

Her brain hitched for a second.

"Genshirou-san," she sighed with disappointment. "I did not expect someone like you to be here. It will hurt the school's reputation if students of Kuoh Academy are seen in this place of debauchery."

Saji stared at her in wonderment. "Wow, Tina-chan. You really stepped your game up today. You sound exactly like Kaichou."

She blinked. She had thought it had been a misunderstanding at first. Now his words started to make sense.

"Genshirou-san," she breathed out with narrowed eyes. "Exactly who do you think I am?"

He scratched his head, "R-Right. Sorry Tina— I mean… Kaichou. But, just a moment. Can I just say you're amazing! You're exactly like the real Shitori-kaichou!"

By the Four Horsemen! Did… Had…

One of the maids was pretending to be Sona all this time?!

Genshirou Saji was a person of interest to Sona. As a Devil, she had been seeking proficient individuals who fit her criteria and would enhance all productivity within her peerage. Saji was one such character who was a hard-worker, intelligent (in academic fields while lacking common sense), and may or may not possess a Sacred Gear. She had been keeping an eye on him and might have been guiding him into joining the Student Council of Kuoh for further investigation.

However, everyone within Kuoh knew Saji was infatuated with Sona. He didn't want to join the Student Council for his own academic career. He wanted to join to gain the chance of further courting her. She was aware of this and had painstakingly fabricated a strategy to lead him into the office without toying with his emotions by misleading him. There might be a chance he could fall with one of the two girls who were infatuated with him as well— her Bishop and Pawn respectively.

She did not realize that infatuation with her was this deeply rooted.

To the point where he would request one of the maids dress up as her!

"Thank you for doing this, Tina-chan," Saji said with a sheepish smile. "I feel like if I keep talking to you like this, I'll be able to tell Kaichou how I really feel!"

She stared at him for a moment, trying to rack up her nerves to push forward. It was hard. Her emotions were having an engagement with her mind. Too many assumptions without adequate information was compiling in such heaps it overpowered her perceptions of judgment.

"What… would you like to do, Genshirou-san?" Sona said, falling back into the words of Lolifor (of all people!) after being unable to figure out a solution for herself.

She should set him straight. She should reveal herself to him and tell him how wrong this was.

But the idea never came to her. For the first time, her mind was a blank.

"I was thinking about having a chess match, if that's okay with you," Saji replied with another smile. "I just got this book on chess theory and I wanted to try out some new moves!"

"Very well," Sona nodded and went to the shelf against one of the walls.

The room contained a loveseat, two sofas, and a small table around them. A large television was mounted on the wall which was hooked up to a series of gaming systems. There was a computer in one corner for internet and gaming use. Last were the shelves full of light novels, manga, and board games.

Both Lolifor and Shotalini had a policy. Should any game pieces be missing, they were to be notified immediately and they would get in contact with the manufacturers to acquire that missing piece. Because, as they said, there was nothing more annoying than being unable to play a game due to the lack of a single vital piece.

Sona pulled out one of the chess sets. While there was another that was boxed with the Chinese checkers and backgammon, the one she selected was for viewing pleasure mostly. It was a glass chess set sealed in Styrofoam with the pieces and tiles polished as either clear or misty.

In a matter of minutes, Sona and Saji sat on the same sofa with the chess set placed on the middle cushion between them. While Sona moved, Saji had a fierce look on his face as though every move would determine whether he would live or die.

Chess was her forte. Aside from her sister and Rias, there was no one who could defeat her. And, sadly, Saji was still an amateur.

She crushed him in a few short moves.

He blinked in surprise as though she had just slapped him. He was dazed while he stared at the bored, trying to figure out how he was defeated. He scratched his head a few times and she let him soak in his thoughts for a few minutes.

"I thought you weren't good at chess…" he muttered with an accusing stare.

That's right. She was pretending to be someone else who was pretending to be her. How… oxymoronic. She got a little too carried away in her sport.

"I would not be who I am if I was terrible at this game," she said with a clinical tone while adjusting her glasses. Her eyes pierced through his. "While your strategy is solid, it is too obvious. The secret to chess isn't having a better strategy— though that does help. The secret is to be able to anticipate your opponent's moves and counter them."

His eyes began to shine, "That's amazing, Tina-chan! Not only did your abilities improve but you even got Kaichou's habits down right! That's exactly how she fixes her glasses and stares at me like I'm a cockroach!"

Like… Like a cockroach? Surely that wasn't what he really thought about her, was it?

"Y-You give yourself too little credit, Genshirou-san," she stammered and tried to hold back the flush. "I don't think the real Sona would think of you as a cockroach. If anything, I believe she thinks you are an aspiring young man with so much potential. If only you dedicate yourself."

She added that last part quickly.

"Thanks, Tina-chan," he said, though sighed heavily rather than being cheered. "But you don't know her like I do. She's always on my case about my grades and how I behave in class. She's a perfectionist and she always nags on every little fault of mine. The other day she glared daggers at me because I was wearing a brown belt with black shoes."

"…You shouldn't wear brown with black, Genshirou-san," she tried to not make her teeth grind. Her lower lip was twitching.

"It was an accident!" he shot his hands up in protest. "I know that! But I was running late and grabbed whatever I could. Black and brown look so much alike when you're rushing! Nobody else noticed it."

"Perhaps they did and she was only kind enough to point it out to you in order to prevent future mishaps while they didn't," she argued.

"I don't know," he said, deflated. "It felt mean. Like she's just picking on me for some reason. I keep trying to think what I did wrong but can't remember. I'm always trying my hardest for her too…"

It felt like she was invading on the privacy of her schoolmate. Here they were talking about her without Saji being aware the person in question was present. He didn't know and felt no shame in spilling out his private feelings with her. She had no business being here.

"Perhaps… she will reflect on her conduct and see she was being a little… harsh," she tried to tell him this promise without giving something away. "And, maybe, if you condone yourself better, such as ceasing to spend your time in places like this and dedicate yourself to your studies, she will be more lenient on you. Perhaps if you talk to her rather than someone you requested to act like her."

She was not gentle with her last words. She was glaring at him.

"Huh?" he looked up at her. "But… Tina-chan, what are you talking about? I never asked for you to do this."

She cocked a brow at this. When no answer was being given, she pressed, "Remind me, Genshirou-san. How exactly did this situation come into being?"

"It has been a while, huh…" he muttered as he looked away in thought. "Well, when I first came here, you and I spent a long time together. You found out a lot about me, including who I liked. You promised if I came back then you'd have a surprise waiting for me. And when I did came back, you showed up dressed like how you are now! Except now your hair and makeup have gotten so much better! You look exactly like Shitori-kaichou! You even sound like her too!"

So… Tina (and by all the Princes of Darkness will she find out who that is) learned about Saji's interests, researched Sona, and had been impersonating her adequately enough to fool Saji to this degree for an unprecedented amount of time.

"You said you wanted to support me," he said, leaning against the back of the couch and folding his arms. "That you would do this until I built up the courage to confess to her. It's helped, a lot, but every chance I get does she nag about me on something. I want that moment to be perfect. So I'm going to keep trying to get better and meet her standards.

"So, thank you, Tina-chan. I mean it."

It was still wrong on so many levels. More so when Saji wasn't completely innocent. He had allowed this to go on for quite some time.

"Would you like another match, Genshirou-san?" Sona asked. "If you'd like, I can instruct you to help improve."

"I would like that," he said while bowing slightly.

0-0-0

"Rias, why did you drag me out for this?" Akeno asked.

"Because if I'm forced to do this then I'm taking you with me," Rias said as though they were going to be her famous last words. "You are my accomplice in crime, after all."

"You're right," Akeno agreed with her mirthful smile. "I'm just as responsible for selling our souls to a lowly human for public daily humiliation as you are."

Rias tried her best to not flinch.

They received a large amount of looks from the passerby. After all, they were two girls dressed in the Legion maid attire, crouching behind bushes as they spied on the date between a human and Fallen Angel.

Their job— Rias' job, actually— was to make sure Hyoudou Issei returned to the shop or not come back at all. That if they— she— couldn't counter-seduce a pervert like Issei then they (she) had no business being an employee of Legion. However, Lolifor would continue to keep the contracts of everyone else in her peerage. Just not their King.

Getting fired wasn't the problem. It was actually a boon being able to terminate their contract. What she couldn't afford was the scandal that followed after it. Imagine that; the King of a peerage not being able to follow the most basic of tasks found regularly in Devil duty but the rest of her peerage could? What then would her credentials be to qualify her as a King in the first place?

So, here she was, sticking her nose in a business that might trigger another Great War.

She was a Devil who was trying to snatch the prey of a Fallen Angel.

…All so she could continue being a maid at some restaurant. She might doom the planet to hell and fire but, hey, at least she'll be able to save face and keep her job.

She would rather go down in history as the Devil who triggered the next Great War rather than the Devil who couldn't keep a minimum wage employment!

"Do you even have a plan?" Akeno asked.

"I was thinking about waiting until they were separated and talking to him," Rias answered. "How hard could it be?"

"Wasn't it that attitude that found us working there in the first place?" Akeno's smile was beaming by this point. "Go straight in and charge directly at the enemy without a plan? We'll be scrubbing the tiles of the Fallen's church by tomorrow."

"…You're not going to let this go, are you?" Rias quipped with narrowed eyes.

"Never," Akeno replied with another bright and shining smile.

Both girls went back to watching the couple.

Issei and Raynare (known as Amano Yuma by the general populous) were the ideal teenage couple. He told jokes, she laughed. She talked, he listened. They complimented each other with words, gestures, and silent conversations in body language. Everything they did was to please the other on their date.

However, neither of the two could wrap their heads around the idea of a Fallen Angel— a being who had left Heaven for the pleasures of the flesh— to be trying to seduce the average teenage high schooler. It might have been the Fallen's preferences for all they knew, but Issei was average at best. He wasn't bad looking but… he wasn't spectacular either.

He might have been desirable to several others if he wasn't notorious for being a super pervert. Emphasis on the word super. As in, his perversity was at the level of superhuman.

The couple had left another clothing store. Issei had bought her a scrunchy, in which she wore as a bracelet at the moment, before pondering what to do next. The girl pointed at a crepe truck parked down the road. He said something back to her and went to fetch some for her.

"Good," Rias said with a firm nod. "That's our cue. Distract her while I—"

"Rias," Akeno chimed, "she's coming our way."

"Yes, and I knew you were there for some time now," the Fallen Angel said when she approached them. She crossed one arm under her chest while tilting her head and letting her cheek rest in her palm. She looked at them with a mocking smile. "The both of you stand out far too much. The dress looks good on you, Gremory. It shows where you truly belong."

No longer hidden, both girls stood from their place and climbed out of the bushes.

"What are you doing spying on me like this?" Raynare asked with heavy disdain. The cute appearance she held for Issei was gone, replaced by one of animosity for an enemy. "I've done nothing wrong that goes against the accords. I've stayed out of your territory and your affairs, Devil."

"As it so happens, we're not here for you," Rias countered, this time fueled by the instigations of a challenge. "We received a contract to make sure a certain someone returns to a particular establishment. That certain someone just so happens to be the boy you're trying to corrupt."

"As if you're so innocent," Raynare bit back. She tossed some of her hair over her shoulder as she readjusted her posture.

"Things are a little complicated since someone of your kind is attached to him," Akeno said. "Rias here was just being a little shy on how to approach the two of you."

"I wasn't shy," Rias argued back. "This is serious. A Devil trying to take a potential recruit of the Grigori can cause a great deal of backlash. I needed time to consider my options."

"Of course," Akeno said with a knowing smile.

"It's all the more reason why I should tell you both to buzz off," Raynare cut in. "You're distracting while I'm trying to work. Plus, there's a bit of satisfaction knowing I ruined one of your contracts without breaking any of the rules."

"Not until I get what I came for," Rias said boldly, though she neglected she couldn't return until Issei was convinced. "Look. Here's a coupon. I fully support… whatever it is happening between the both of you. Just give that to him and make sure he comes every now and then. That's all we were sent here to do."

From the front pocket of her apron did she pull out the same flier Akeno had brought to the club room a few nights ago. She handed it over to Raynare, who stared at it with heavy disbelief. Those eyes flicked up and judged Rias. The look was almost pitying.

"Actually, the request was to seduce Hyoudou-kun and steal him from his girlfriend," Akeno said aloud. "It's no good to cut corners, Rias."

"…You're not helping, Akeno," Rias' voice fell flat.

Akeno's smile turned evil, "I'm simply trying to make sure you do your job right."

She was never going to let this go. Never.

"If I give it to him will you go away?" Raynare asked.

"Only if you promise you'll let him frequent the café as much as he wants," Rias pointed back at the coupon. "Do that and we'll get out of your way."

Raynare gave them a blunt look, examined the coupon once more, stared at them some more, went back to the coupon, and then back at Rias.

"I'll pass on the message," she huffed before waving at them to shoo. "Now go away before he comes back. I have work to finish and you're in the way."

"Scared one look at us will convert him to our side?" Akeno teased.

Raynare's eyes flicked for a half second at Akeno's generous set of knockers. "Keep talking and I tear apart the flier."

"Thank you very much and enjoy the rest of your date!" Rias put up a friendly smile was pulling on the arm of her best friend, dragging the girl away before she could sabotage this further.

0-0-0

"I feel absolutely humiliated," Sona said in the break room. They were the first words that came out of her mouth when she plopped herself down on one of the couches.

Bottled water was extended for her. When she looked up, her brows furrowed as Lolifor was on the other end. She accepted the beverage anyways.

"You seem upset," he said, making an astute observation of the century. "Is it because you're a Devil? You know, humility being a virtue and all that?"

"You planned this," she accused.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said with his wolfish smile. He pulled up one of the chairs, spun it around, and sat with the back supporting his chin.

"Then you claim to not know some of your employees are impersonating actual citizens of this city?" Hoarfrost could have breathed out of her mouth if she put an ounce of devilry into her words.

"Any and all likeness to certain characters is purely coincidental," Lolifor recited while waving his hand around in dismissal. "This is purely a work of fiction!"

She had dealt with people like this before. But they were all people she could deal with. She always had a certain amount of leverage over them. From the aristocratic Devils during her childhood, to her potential suitors who tried to outsmart her, to even her own sister.

Lolifor was just a brat who didn't have to answer to anyone. He was going to do whatever he wanted so long as he could get away with it.

"Who is Tina?" Sona tried a different approach.

"Tina?" he smacked his lips a few times in thought. "You met her before. She works here."

"Evidently."

"Then why'd you ask?"

…Now he was just being an ass.

"Lolifor-san," she breathed out, trying to remain composed but was losing her sanity to this child. "A fellow schoolmate of mine has been frequenting this establishment and has been requesting the same maid whenever available. She, in return, would dress herself in concerning likeness to myself for his viewing pleasure. Her deception is so thorough Genshirou-san did not recognize me when we were in the same room together."

"And you're upset by this?" Lolifor tilted his head while crossing his arms against the back of the chair. "Why? Because someone else is pretending to be you? Because he didn't recognize you? Or, maybe, because he was able to be himself without the blade of judgment that is Sona Sitri hanging over his head?"

She wouldn't deny she enjoyed her company with Saji. She had never seen this side of him. He told her all about his burdens and dreams. He was able to unwind without having to constantly impress her. He talked to her as a friend.

While his question was a small truth, it was nothing compared to the crux of the matter.

"I'm upset because I was never notified on this," she answered immediately.

"Would you have been less upset if I told you before?" he countered.

"Then you admit you knew?"

"Obviously," he put up a hand. "Come on, Miss Sitri. What kind of shitty employer would I be if I didn't know what happened in my own place? I mean, do you not know what your Pieces do when they're out collecting contracts?"

She could feel the vein at her temple throbbing.

"Why did you withhold this knowledge from me?" Sona asked. "We've been here long enough for you to have a chance to explain it to me."

"Because I was waiting for Saji to come back," he answered plainly with a shrug. "Guy's a frequent. One more sticker and he gets a free VIP pass. Tina said he's going to save it for when we hold the ballroom theme so he can dance with her. I'm thinking either masquerade or fantasy. What do you think will be better for everyone?"

"So you did plan this," she declared instead of accused this time.

"You said you feel humiliated," Lolifor answered in a calm voice. "I mostly did it for the laughs, and it was just great seeing you behave through the security footage. But it was also to teach you a lesson."

"Humility?" Sona asked through narrowed eyes.

"Do you know why clowns still exist?" he asked. "They're ridiculous. They're stupid. They dress up in these outrageous clothes and perform atrociously embarrassing, if not sometimes hazardous, tasks. And they're so unappreciated with all the critique plus the lack of a sufficient salary."

"…Did you just call me a clown, Lolifor-san?" Sona fixed her glasses.

"It's more of a comparison," he said clearly without faltering in the slightest. "See, clowns make people smile. They make people feel good. So, yes, I did just call you a clown, Miss Sitri. What are you going to do about it?"

"First prostitution… and now Harlequinade?" Sona gave him a look before deciding to take a drink from her water.

Lolifor stared at her for a moment. "I had no idea the profession of clown had such a legit title. Anyways, my point, they say laugher is the best medicine. That's hardly true. Sure, you make people laugh and they'll forget their troubles for a bit. Laughter is more of a suppressant than a cure. A sedative. But laughter itself is just a piece of the pie.

"It's love, Miss Sitri," he said while staring straight at her. "Love is a medicine that can allow people to not only forget their worries but to push through and overcome them."

"…I believe the love Genshirou-san has in this instance is a little unstable," Sona's lips twitched after hearing his words.

"It's not romantic love," he waved his hand again. "Platonic love. Unbiased love. I'm not talking about sucking face with any of these people. I'm talking about decent human beings and making connections with your fellow man. It might not apply to you Devils, I don't know, but I'd like to ask you to give it a try.

"How did it feel to see Saji talk to you like this? To see the real side of him? To see him smile, to promise himself on how he was going to improve, and to one day earn your praise? It's amazing what the joy of a complete stranger could bring. How did it go…? Ask straight and he'll give half-truths; give him a mask and he'll give full-truth."

Love? To simply will the good of another? To sympathize and empathize with them? For what reason was he trying to show her this? She had no problems making connections with her clients. She had been doing it this long as a Devil and had been able to use the same tactics with her job here.

"Here at Legion," Lolifor lifted his chin a little higher, "we all love our clients. We let them know they are loved. This is as much their home as it is ours. Why would you want to go to a home where you're not loved? And anyone who doesn't love your family has no business being here."

"…I see," Sona said, though she hardly understood the reason for his approach. "Is this a lecture on my behavior, then? Did I make a mistake somewhere I may need to improve on?"

"You Devils lost your clients for a reason," he said plainly. "Generally speaking… you all seem fake. Plastic. You're all trying to be something you're not rather than yourselves. Gremory's crew especially. They're all straight out of the Stepford books, I swear."

Sona fell quiet. She knew the reasons behind most of the members of the Germory Peerage. It wasn't her place to illuminate anything to Lolifor.

"I'm back!" Rias called out as soon as she entered the break room.

"Speak of the Devil and she shall appear," Lolifor's wolfish smile returned just as fierce and hungry as ever. "Miss Gremory, darling, we were just talking about you! What took you so long?"

"We had a couple speedbumps but I think everything turned out okay," Akeno answered after following Rias in.

"Akeno-chan, I was wondering where you went," Lolifor's smile shifted as he looked at her. "I guess I can let it slide and count it as your break."

Akeno stopped in her steps, "My… what? But, I didn't get a choice! Rias told me to go with her!"

"…You could have told her no," Lolifor's smile fell.

"No, I couldn't. For all her faults, she is my King."

"…Hey," Rias said quietly.

"Sure you could have," Lolifor returned. "It's Miss Gremory we're talking about. It's not that hard to convince her. I mean, just think about it; someone like me totally swindled her into a completely unfair ordeal that's as close to slavery as is legally possible."

"Y-You knew it was unfair this entire time?!" Rias shouted.

"Duh," Lolifor gave her a look. "It was a total mock offer too. A joke to ease the waters. Yet the two of you took it so seriously I had to go for it. But even with the huge discount you people are giving me, I still feel like I'm losing out. You think getting the top ten in Kuoh Academy's popularity charts would have this place flooded. Yet I haven't received a single request for any of you. Not even from the randos I give you who come back."

"Does this mean you are unsatisfied with your purchase and would like to terminate the contract?" Akeno leapt in at the opportunity.

Both Rias and Sona broke out into cold sweat. While Akeno might not care about the contract, it would ruin their reputations if something of this degree was terminated prematurely.

"No, it's more like this is a learning experience for all of us," Lolifor said with a dramatic sigh. "I just gotta figure out how to bring out the most amount of appeal from all of you. Speaking of which, Akeno-chan, I'm going to have you switch shifts with Kiyome-chan since you wasted so much time with Miss Gremory."

"But… it was almost time for my shift to end…" Akeno pouted.

"Which reminds me," Lolifor turned to Rias while completely ignoring Akeno. "What's the news? I'm assuming since you're back you managed to steal Issei back?"

"Didn't you say you'd also leave him be if the Fallen was genuinely interested in him?" Sona asked.

"Pfft," Lolifor tried (and failed) to hold back his laughter. "That?! I only said that to make sure Moé doesn't blow a gasket. He's the hopeless romantic. Anyways, Ise! What's the status?"

"He'll be returning," Rias said proudly.

"Wonderful!" Lolifor's smile returned as he stood. "How soon can we expect him? I might plan something special between him and Asia. Maybe close up shop early and let those two have a romantic evening just for themselves. Candles, violin, a soft bed when things get freaky. You know, typical teenager stuff."

"…Both Hyoudou-san and Argento-san are underage," Sona breathed out, though she knew her words would fall onto deaf ears.

Lolifor continued to stare at Rias.

"…Soon," Rias answered with her best smile.

Lolifor's smile remained still, "Soon? How soon is soon?"

"Within the foreseeable future."

"…What did he tell you?" Lolifor asked with his smile straining.

"We… didn't talk to him specifically…" Rias drawled out. "We spoke with his girlfriend."

"Uh huh…" Lolifor nodded in complete understanding. "I see. I see. So what you're telling me is… they're still dating? Miss Gremory, honey, sweetie, we're in the middle of a Code: Orange. Relationships between clients and outside sources is strictly prohibited. Your orders were to retrieve Issei by any means necessary. Or else."

"We gave him a flier!" Rias argued.

"We give out hundreds of fliers a day!" Lolifor threw up his arms. "The amount of people who return with them is less than ten percent! And Ise already knows about this place! He's a three-time VIP guest! Your job wasn't to remind him this place exists! Your job was to drag him back here kicking and screaming! And you think everything's okay because his girlfriend— and not him— said so?!

"Out!" he shouted, turning her around by her shoulders and pushing her back towards the door. "Out! Out! Out! I don't want to see you again until Ise, for absolute certainty, is coming back here! Come back without him and you're fired."

He shoved her out and slammed the door shut. He breathed out a long groan while slamming his head against the door. He remained there for some time.

"Are you willing to go this far for all your lost clients, Lolifor-san?" Sona asked from her seat.

"We lose people every day," Lolifor said. He lifted his head and looked over his shoulder to stare at Sona. "But Ise's something else. Asia will cry if he doesn't come back. Look at me straight in the eye and tell me you wouldn't be bothered by a crying Asia."

Sona… had nothing against the girl personally. She had this aura of purity around her that screamed divine protection. She was someone blessed by Heaven itself. Whatever her story may be, there was still no mistaking Asia was a holy person. And therefore a bane against Devils.

However… seeing Asia cry this early afternoon made Sona feel guilty for some unexplainable reason. Only a few days working here and she had already grown comfortable around the girl's constant and endless bounty of joy.

"Right, well, I need to get back to work," Lolifor adjusted his clothing until everything was smoothed out. He pulled out his phone and checked the contents. "Akeno-chan, I'll need you to check with Moé whenever you feel like coming back to work. Miss Sitri, whenever your break is over, I'll need you in Room 9."

"But I wanted to go home already…" Akeno whined. "I've been here all day and my feet are killing me."

"Should I be concerned over this client?" Sona asked. "Such as how I should with Genshirou-san?"

Lolifor stared at the screen for a moment, "It's a girl, in case you're wondering. And all the other girls are unavailable at the moment. After this one, you can go home. My best piece of advice is to be yourself. It's all you need."

He didn't smile this time, which meant this was a regular customer and not another one of his pranks.

Sona breathed a little easier and readied herself. At the least she would be able to go home and soak in the tub for as long as she liked. It felt like the day had just pelted her with shenanigans after shenanigans.

Moments later, she followed protocol. She reached the specific room, knocked, swiped her card, and announced herself.

She froze. The entire world around her petrified.

Her heart stopped beating.

The woman who started streaming a magical girl anime looked up at her. Her sapphire eyes lit up with torrents of power barely being withheld.

"Tia-tan!" she screamed with jeer and nearly tackled Sona to the floor in her rocket-propelled embrace. "You look better than ever! Mmm… you even smell like my So-tan. Your For Someone's Glory Noble Phantasm is finally worth its rank!"

The one who was smothering her face into Sona's chest was her own sister, one of the Four Devil Kings, Serafall Leviathan.

And, like Saji, she had requested Tina to dress up in her likeness.

"N-N-Nee-sama?!" Sona shrieked at the complete and utter outlandishness of the situation.

Serafall stopped. Her large eyes blinked and stared up at Sona.

She immediately squealed and reinforced her embrace. Sona couldn't breathe.

"Amazing, Tia-tan!" Serafall continued to rub her cheeks against Sona's breasts. "You're exactly like my So-tan! I can't believe it! I love this place so much! I'm so glad I met Loli-tan at that convention! I'm going to keep requesting you to fill the hole my So-tan left! Waaaaaaaaaaaah! So-tan! Why did you have to grow up and go to school in the human world?!"

And suddenly, the great and mighty Leviathan broke down into tears.

At the back of her mind, Sona knew Lolifor was behind this. This was twice he had deceived her! In the same day!

But there was a human idiom about being fooled twice…

0-0-0

Asia knocked on the door.

"Come in," Lolifor answered from the other side.

Asia strolled into his office with the tray of tea and cookies. He always worked here late into the hours with hardly any sleep. He never showed signs of fatigue but that didn't mean he wasn't bothered by the work. She did everything she could to alleviate his problems.

After all, he was the other person who had given her life meaning.

"Asia, it's late," he said without looking away from his computer. He hid nothing from her. Perhaps most would either hide the screen or pretending to be looking at reports, Lolifor had been intensely observing adult content. "You should be in bed. What are you still doing up?"

Asia hesitated while she handed over the plate of cookies and the cup of brewed tea. She had also made a cup for herself. The silent request was noticed by Lolifor but he didn't say anything in reply.

"…I couldn't sleep," was her answer in a low voice.

"Sleep is overrated anyways," he muttered before sipping his cup. Yet he never stopped staring at the computer.

She took his reply as permission. She wound up in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

They remained quiet for some time. He would occasionally click on something with the mouse or jot down notes onto his pad. He would mutter something in thought, look away to consider options in his head, and then go back to staring at the obscene incidents. She would only sip on her tea while basking in its warmth.

"Is… Is Issei coming back?" she asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. He hadn't told her about it all day. It either meant he hadn't heard anything or…

"Even if Miss Gremory fails, I'm determined to get him back," Lolifor said, finally looking away from the monitor. He leaned back in his chair while rubbing his face. "I haven't forgotten our promise, by the way. You've held up your end of the bargain so far."

She fidgeted in her seat, "I-It's not that. I… I like working here. I enjoy making people smile. And I enjoy being supported by everyone around me. I… I feel like I belong here."

Lolifor nodded as he bit into a cookie. He spoke with his mouth full, "Your Japanese has improved a lot. Customers have been telling me all about you."

She blushed at that, "T-Thank you. You and Mister Quinn taught me so much. And… Issei taught me the rest. I feel so ashamed… I made him pay for visits when he was the one tutoring me."

"The kid's such a natural it pisses me off," Lolifor said with furrowed brows. "Dude wants a harem but doesn't realize he already has one. Asia, just hurry up and confess to the guy before someone else takes him away. Mittelt's been talking about him more lately."

Asia's blush intensified, "I-I couldn't! I owe Issei so much! Besides… I'm not that pretty. And my breasts aren't as big as some of the other girls'. And… Issei likes large breasts…"

Lolifor waved a hand while rolling his eyes. He was done with the topic.

"Have you adjusted to the country yet?" he asked instead. "Japan is pretty out of whack. It's pretty mainstream but so diverse at the same time. I have some familiarity being from America and all that. But what about you? Didn't you grow up in some quiet village or something?"

"The largest city I've been to was the Vatican," she answered. "I'll admit I was frightened when I first came here. I lost all my money and I couldn't speak the language. The only help I could find was from the Fallen who…"

She fell quiet. She didn't want to talk about the incident that forced her to flee as far as Japan.

"I still have difficulty with writing," she said eventually. "But I'm trying my hardest!"

"I'm going to assume Issei is also helping you with that?"

Asia's blush reached to all corners of her face.

"That guy's totally a keeper," Lolifor stated. "You should bang him so he can't escape from you."

Steam would have blown out of Asia's ears if it were possible. She couldn't form any words in her stammering.

There came a knock on his door.

Lolifor's brows furrowed while he checked the time. He moved in his seat, readjusting himself so his hands were under his desk. Asia heard him pull something out of his drawer.

"Come in," he answered with his eyes staring sharply at the door.

Rias Gremory entered. She looked a little ruffled but brimming with pride and victory. She also wasn't in her maid uniform and had exchanged it for the lavish school uniform of her academy. She also smelled like she had just come out of the shower.

"Lady, what the hell?" Lolifor sighed as he dumped whatever he had under his desk back into the drawer. It made a loud thud when it hit the bottom. "It's three in the goddamn morning. What are you doing here?"

"Good evening, Lolifor-san," Rias greeted with an elegant bow. "The deed you requested has been completed. I thought you'd might want to know as soon as possible."

Asia gasped. Did this mean Issei was going to return to the café?

A part of her was guilty. She didn't want to tear Issei away from his happiness. He looked so happy this early afternoon when he told her he had a girlfriend. She didn't want to take that away from him.

"Really?" Lolifor asked with some skepticism. He leaned forward on his desk while cupping his hands together. "Do you have it in writing this time?"

"Even better," Rias' smile was full of charisma. "You have the word belonging to a Peerage owner."

"…Oral dictation is not as widely accepted as postscript within the business world," Lolifor muttered.

"I mean it!" Rias barked back. "I promise you, for real this time, Hyoudou Issei-kun will be returning to this place just like you wanted. He'll be back as early as Tuesday after school."

"Really?" Asia asked. "Thank you, Miss Gremory! I mean… that is… did you do something against Issei's girlfriend?"

"I didn't think you took my words to heart," Lolifor cut in. "You were gone all day, show up at the most unholy of hours, and squeaky clean. What'd you do? Sleep with him?"

Something within Asia's heart shattered into a thousand pieces. She looked at Rias with tearful eyes.

"Nothing to that extreme," Rias answered with a slight shake of her head. "As it turns out, everything just sort of fell into my lap. I'd like to tell you all about it in detail. But it is rather late. I just wanted to let you know about my mission success."

"We'll see Tuesday afternoon," Lolifor said. He eased up and put up a gentle smile, "Thank you for your hard work, Miss Gremory. The maids of Legion are appreciated."

"Yes, thank you Miss Gremory!" Asia jumped in.

"If you'll excuse me then," Rias offered with a satisfied smile. "Sunday is the busiest days for Devils and I have much to take care of. I've also been able to change shifts with Sona and her peerage so they'll take over our schedule for Monday. We will see you again on Tuesday."

She bowed and shut the door behind her on the way out.

"We literally own all her contracts," Lolifor stated. "What's there to do on Sunday? And what the hell is going on Monday where she needs her whole peerage? You know what? It's late. I don't care at this point. I just want to wrap this up and go to bed."

"Thank you, Mister Lolifor," Asia said with a beaming smile.

"Go to bed already," he retorted while rubbing his face again.

She didn't say anything as she stared down into the brown liquid between her hands. Eventually, she looked up at him and pleaded, "Can I stay here a little longer?"

"If you want," he said while rolling the chair close to the desk. He rolled his shoulders before slouching forward to stare at the computer screen. He went back to work.

She sat across of him without exchanging a word. There was no need. She enjoyed being in his company. Her employer and technical landlord was sociable but never intimate. He would never try to make a connection with her like how Issei would. But, in instances like this, he was the closest thing to a friend she would ever have.

She never had a friend before.

She watched him work, comparing and contrasting the scenes in different pornographic settings and making notes of everything. He pulled up fashion articles as well as anime vines. Eventually, as the hours passed, she eventually nodded off.

When next she woke, she had been moved from one of the chairs to the sofa in the corner. A blanket had been thrown over her.

And Lolifor was still staring at his computer. This time munching away on a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee.

"Morning," he said. "We have a full day ahead of us, Asia. Make sure to get something to eat."

"Y-Yes!" she replied, leaping up to her feet and folding the blanket.

She ate the extra plate of pancakes and fruit he left for her in his office.

0-0-0

"It's finally Tuesday," he told her on the appointed day. Lolifor had his usual large and crooked smile. "Can you smell it? It smells like fanservice."

"Fanservice?" Asia blinked at him.

"Moé, the dress," he said while snapping his fingers.

Luc Moé burst into the room instantly with one of his tailored maid outfits. She marveled at how he was able to design the perfect dress for her without needing to take her measurements. There was never a need to make adjustments either! It was as if he had magically acquired them. Or perhaps he was just that great of a tailor?

The dress he came in with was brand new. While it was similar to the standard maid uniform of the café, this one came with extra frills… and less fabric to cover her modesty.

The skirt was so short! And the top was so low cut! Her stomach was also going to be exposed! Wait! Her chest was only going to be covered by a sliver of fabric!

"Phase two of the plan, Asia," Lolifor began with his toothy smile. "You're going to make sure Ise remains a loyal customer of Legion. Moé here has made an outfit that will knock the socks right off of him! Make sure to tell him everything. You get your prince charming and we trap Ise via wedlock. It's a win-win!"

Her face was burning. Her clammy hands rushed up to her cheeks to cool them down. She was shaking.

She couldn't! With someone like Issei?! Well… it would be a dream-come-true. She admired Issei so much she always anticipated his visits. She always looked forward to his requests. She gave it her all no matter what he wanted from her. And, in return, he was nothing but kind and encouraging.

She believed she didn't deserve someone like Issei. Not someone like her. She, who had been cursed, spurned, and exiled from her home. She didn't know what Issei would think if he found out about her.

"We'll let you get ready," Moé said as he grabbed Lolifor by the collar and dragged him out of the room. Lolifor protested but he couldn't fight against Moé. The door was shut.

She didn't get the chance to protest. The two of them had done this much for her. With a hand on her chest to quell her beating heart, she began to change out of her normal uniform and into this… indecent attire.

She kept tugging on the bottom of the skirt as though it would magically stretch. So much of her skin was being shown and the barest movement was going to reveal her undergarments!

This was all for Issei, she told herself. For Issei!

When she stepped out of the dorms and climbed down the stairs to enter into the hallway, the first thing she noticed was the sounds. It was eerily quiet. Usually, the building was full of people. Even in this time of day of the week, when it was at its slowest, there was always a crowd of customers being tended to. But not today.

The entire building had been cleared out. The tables had been moved. There only remained a single table at the center, draped with a single white sheet, candles, and the best dining arrangements used for the most important and wealthiest of clientele.

The lighting had been changed to a low setting. The music track had been changed from local pop to smooth orchestra.

She looked around, confused heavily. She found the current shift of maids and butlers all crammed by the kitchen doors. Their eyes were sparkling and some of them were sending gestures of encouragement and cheers.

It made her face burn a little brighter.

"Are you ready?" Lolifor said at her side.

The sound of his voice made her jump in surprise. It also made her skirt flap and reveal her pure white panties. She rushed to cover them.

Lolifor had combed his hair and changed into a serving tuxedo. It was a more refined butlery outfit. The only one who could compete with it was Quinn's.

"M-M-Mister Lolifor," Asia quivered where she stood. "What's going on?!"

"Just a little something for the night," he said with his carnivorous smile. "Wait here and look for your cue. You'll know when you see it. Miss Gremory should be here soon with Ise. Any second now…"

He stepped out of the hallway and crossed through the main dining area.

She didn't have to wait very long. She saw the doors to the entry open with a small crowd coming through. She recognized Rias and her friends. With them was… Issei.

Her nerves were getting to her. Her heart was racing. She wasn't prepared for this! She could understand being a maid for him but… Lolifor was making her go on a date!

Yes! She was so happy she could break down into tears for this! But she wasn't mentally prepared! She didn't think this sort of fantasy would be able to come true so soon!

"The hell is this?" she heard Lolifor bark with annoyance.

She pushed aside her emotions to hear the conversation between he and Rias' group.

"It's exactly what you asked for," Rias said without losing grace. "We brought back Ise-kun and made sure he was going to stay here. He is the newest member of my peerage."

Asia's world felt like it was crumbling apart.

Rias' words didn't make sense. She knew Rias and her friends were all Devils. But… Issei… couldn't have joined her peerage. He couldn't have become a Devil. He couldn't become an enemy of God.

Why did he agree to become a Devil? Why? Why did he willingly give up his soul to become one of the damned?

Her mind came to its own conclusion.

Rias.

She was so pretty. She was so charming. And… she was everything Asia wasn't.

Rias was gone for some time trying to convince Issei to return to the shop. Even Lolifor had said she was better suited to the task over Asia. It was because, as he said, Rias had the better chance of seducing him even if Asia confessed her love for Issei.

In other words, even if she confessed, she was nothing compared to Rias Gremory.

It was from this thought that made her choose.

Lolifor had concluded with his argument and proceeded as planned. He pushed Issei to the center, pulled out a microphone, and announced Asia's presence to him. The lights dimmed further as a spotlight honed on the entry to the hallway.

But Asia wasn't there to greet him.