Chapter II

Greetings and salutations! I am sure this is not an update most of you expected. If any of you. I have been going through my catalog of stories and have decided to update a few of the older ones, partly since I have some new ones coming down the pipeline, and figured it best to balance things out that way. As always, Bakuto Masaki is along for the ride with the second chapter of Chromatic Devil: Reborn! I hope everyone enjoyed the previous chapter, uploaded a whole two years ago, yikes. Seems a few of you did at least. And I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well. And hopefully it will not take another two years for my inspiration to come back around to this story.

Forest1395101: I would say wish granted, but you didn't wish for it.

mmiller25819: No, my muse just hasn't pointed in the direction of this story for a long, long time.

correnhimself316: That would certainly be... different.

True Persona User: I can't make any promises on the frequency of updates, but this story is not truly dead.

superpeirce: It's a design of Merlin I found from an Eroge, that's all I remember honestly. Shiro is the gender-swapped Shirou from Fate/Grand Order, usually called Gudako. I've used her in place of Shirou, and made the name more feminine by removing the last vowel. I recall Ludger always being pretty blunt. Admittedly it's been a while since I've played the second Xillia. Honestly, if I had started this story more recently, I probably would've removed or replaced Jude entirely, since he really doesn't, and won't factor into the story.

Fmwaver: I have occasionally considered Angel Blade, but I'm not really sure what to do with them, is the issue. Never heard of Nami SOS, to be honest. Unfortunately that story is effectively dead, as the lemon-heavy DxD story is now Gremory's Guardian.

The Aura King: Oh? Whosoever do you mean? That said, I can say, that at least for now, I don't plan to have Ludger become a Devil. So no worries on that part.

Well, not a lot of reviews to go on there, especially for being two years out of date, but it is what it is. Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter and it keeps you satisfied until the next one. Which hopefully isn't during the next Olympics. On with the show!

Ludger followed Sella, Illya, and Shiro into the house, still carrying Shiro's crumpled bicycle over his shoulder, when he saw a large family room off to the left just past the door, with two more people sitting on the large sofa inside.

"Oh my, has Shiro finally found a boy?" the first of the two wondered with amusement.

Ludger got a better look at her and saw she was a tall beauty with frightfully pale skin, the same as Sella and Illya, deep red eyes, and almost glowing silver hair, wearing a plain white gown that accentuated her voluptuous features well.

Shiro, her face bright red, shot back, "Why is everyone assuming that!?"

Pointing at Ludger, the woman noted, "Because there is one with you."

Shiro just stared in silent shock as the person sat next to the long-haired woman clapped lazily.

Turning, Ludger saw a girl with the same appearance as Illya, Sella, and the older woman, but her hair was short and unkempt, her eyes having a vacant stare, and her chest far outpacing the rest in her tight tank top.

Bright red, Shiro shouted back, "He's not my boyfriend, Mom, we just met!"

Shiro's mother put a hand over her mouth in feigned surprise. "You move fast then."

Sighing, Ludger finally set down what remained of Shiro's bike.

Smiling, the beautiful woman added, "And I certainly approve of him."

Ludger frowned slightly in a mix of abashment and confusion at her remarks.

"So, what's your name, handsome?"

"Ludger Kresnik," he answered plainly.

Bowing slightly from her seat, she answered in kind. "Irisviel von Einzbern. Though you can just call me Iri."

"R – Right…"

"I see you've already met my daughters, Illya and Shiro, as well as one of our housekeepers, Sella." She then motioned to the glassy-eyed girl next to her. "And this is our other housekeeper and Sella's sister, Leysritt."

"Liz is fine," Leysritt urged in a monotone voice.

Ludger nodded in her direction before Iri spoke up once more.

"Well then, I have to thank you in some way for helping my daughter. Maybe a dinner? Bath? Or… Liz?"

"H – Huh?!"

Ludger lurched back as his face turned red, Sella shouted, "M – My lady, don't make such jokes!"

Liz, however, silently ate a crisp without interjecting in the conversation, seemingly annoying Sella.

Iri put a finger on her chin in thought. "Alright, then how about a meal then?"

"Th – That sounds much better…" he answered with eased tension.

Clapping her hands together softly, Iri smiled proudly. "It's settled. We'll have a nice big dinner!"

"Yay…" Liz 'cheered' flatly with a hand raised lazily.

"I refuse!" Luvia shouted sharply as she turned away from the others in a huff.

"Well unfortunately we don't have a lot of options!" Rin shouted back.

Maxwell and Ophis both watched the duo bicker in confusion, Milla groaning.

"I refuse to spend my time living in an apartment here!" Luvia exclaimed, pointing to the rather plain apartment complex they were standing in front of.

"And I already told you we don't have the money from the Association to do much more than that."

"But it's what commoners like you do!" she argued with a hint of disgust and disdain.

Rin felt the vessels in her forehead about to pop. "I am not a commoner!"

Milla stood silently, her arms folded and her foot tapping anxiously as the two argued before finally having enough. "Will you two cut it out already!?"

The two stopped almost immediately and looked at her in shock.

"We don't have time for this endless bickering! Just find a place for us to stay and deal with it!"

Maxwell looked at her, mildly confused. "We are looking for a place to stay?"

Milla stared at her cowlick-adorned copy and could not stop her from slapping a hand over her face. "Yes. Try to keep up."

"I thought that's what Ludger was doing…"

Luvia interjected, "He was just going with that girl to explain the situation with her bicycle."

"Oh."

Frowning in concern, Milla noted, "Speaking of… shouldn't he have been done by now?"

"Maybe he's eating," Ophis commented dryly.

Maxwell pouted in envy. "Unfair… I want to eat too…"

The duo's stomachs growled in unified hunger.

"Ophis let's go find some food…"

The black-haired girl nodded in agreement.

Rin then noticed Luvia on her phone, dialing a number. "Ordering pizza now?"

"No," she snapped before making the call.

Ludger looked over the vast array of foods and sauces laid on the large table. "Whoa… this all looks so good…"

Sella smiled confidently at the comment. "Well I did make it all myself."

Liz impatiently began eating, Sella moving to slap her hand.

Ludger took note of his GHS ringing and pulled it out, seeing the number displayed on the screen and frowning in thought. "Hm… don't know that number." Pushing a button, he declined the call and went back to the conversation.

Iri, smiling, started a new topic. "So, Mister Kresnik –" but did not get far into her sentence before Ludger's phone began ringing once again.

Frowning in annoyance, Ludger noticed the same number and declined the call once more.

Before the conversation could resume, the same caller attempted again.

This time, Liz interjected, "If you decline again, it might bring bad luck."

Ludger stared uncertainly at her before sighing and flipping it open to answer. "Hel –?" only to be accosted by Luvia's increasingly enraged voice on the other end.

"What the hell are you doing!? Why do you keep hanging up!?"

Wincing slightly from the volume of her voice, he explained, "I didn't recognize your number."

"Good grief…" Luvia groaned as she pinched her nose in frustration. "Where are you?"

"Eating dinner with a family."

"So you are eating!" Maxwell interrupted, almost sounding insulted.

Milla was, likewise, incensed. "Why didn't you tell us!?"

Ludger weakly argued, "Well you guys seemed pretty focused on finding a place to stay, so I thought it'd get in the way."

"So you just started eating without us!?" Rin shouted, also getting annoyed.

"Ara? Is that Rin?" Iri asked as she interjected into the conversation.

"You know her, Mrs. Einzbern?" Ludger asked, surprised.

Iri nodded with a playful smile. "Yep. She and Shiro used to go to school together."

"Ah."

"Wait, you're looking for somewhere to stay?"

"Yeah, we just came to town."

Sighing, Rin added, "The reasons are complicated, but yeah, we're looking for somewhere to stay."

Iri nodded in understanding before taking a few moments to think. "There's a vacant home across the street from ours. And if that fails, you can always stay here for a while. I'm sure Shiro would love having her boyfriend here."

Ludger's face turned red, only to wince as Milla exclaimed, "Boyfriend!? Ludger! What's the meaning of this!?"

He could only slap a hand over his face in frustration.

"Cheater, cheater," Ophis chanted.

Sighing heavily, Ludger finally managed to get a word in to explain himself. "I'm not. This is all a misunderstanding. Mrs. Einzbern seems to think I'm Emiya's boyfriend because I came home with her to explain the damaged bike."

Milla, naturally incredulous, argued, "You seriously expect me to believe that…?"

Rin, however, sighed heavily. "You have no idea what Irisviel can be like at all… She once claimed I was a lesbian and trying to bed Shiro…"

Milla looked at her in disbelief. "… Just how desperate is she to get her daughter with someone…?"

"Ahem, the GHS is still on speaker," Ludger interrupted.

"Still looking for Illya too," Iri interjected.

Illya just looked at her mother curiously before Shiro, her face practically glowing, screamed, "M – Mom! Stop it!"

"Why?" she asked, curiously.

Sighing, Rin interjected, "Look, we'll be there in a bit. Just don't do anything weird, okay?"

"Why would I do anything weird?" Ludger questioned.

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Irisviel."

Iri responded with a comedic salute, although Rin obviously could not see it. "I'll do my best."

Ludger frowned in concern as Rin hung up. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, Sella turning to him.

"Something wrong?"

"No," he answered with a shake of his head. "I'm just tired."

Iri decided to change the subject. "So, Kresnik, where are you from?"

"… Far away," he answered uncertainly.

That answer got a disappointed frown from Iri. "Come on, you can tell me."

Sighing, Ludger shook his head. "Unfortunately it's not that simple."

Frowning in thought for a moment, Iri turned to Sella. "Sella, would you get Illya in the bath?"

The girl pouted harshly. "Eeh? But I wanted to play with Big Sister some more!"

Nodding with a smile, Iri retorted, "You can do that. After your bath."

"Okay…" she pouted as she followed Sella.

Ludger just raised an eyebrow in confusion, Iri commenting, "There. Now that the one not in the know is gone, you can tell us."

"Not in the know?" he asked, confused.

"Yes. Illya is the only one in the house without awareness of the supernatural side of the world. Magic, devils, monsters, and such."

Ludger frowned in thought.

"So, where are you from?"

The conversation was interrupted by a knock at the front door.

"I'll get the door," Ludger remarked, only for Liz to get up in front of him and head for the door.

"Got it," she noted before opening it, on the other side was Luvia, Rin, Milla, and Maxwell.

"Oh, it opens on its own," Maxwell remarked before seeing Liz.

Looking at the rather well-endowed girl, Milla twitched an eyebrow silently.

"Hey, Liz," Rin greeted.

"Rin." Looking at Milla and Maxwell, Liz blinked in curiosity. "Twins?"

"Not quite," Maxwell corrected. "I am the Great –"

Milla instantly stopped her with a hand over her mouth. "Quiet, you idiot!"

Maxwell looked at her curiously before licking her palm, causing a shiver to ride up Milla's spine.

"Kya!"

'… Cute…' Ludger and Iri thought at the same time.

Maxwell raised an eyebrow before turning her attention back to Liz and the others. "As I was saying, I am the Great Spirit Maxwell."

Iri tilted her head in confusion. "Great Spirit?"

Milla growled indignantly. "We're supposed to keep that a secret!"

Rin corrected, "It's fine. Iri's family is well-involved in the weirder side of the world. Actually, Iri was one of the Masters in the previous Grail War."

Iri laughed weakly at the remark. "Sort of. I was more Saber's mana source than anything. My late husband was her actual Master."

Maxwell nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. Considering the amount of mana I can feel emanating from your body. I bet she was well fed."

Iri nodded with a smile. "Why don't you all come inside?"

"Understood."

Maxwell and Ophis both sat at the table, eating immense quantities of food.

Iri sat silently, staring at Ophis with a sense of disbelief.

"Can you stop eating like that?" Milla asked Maxwell with distaste.

"Af u oo min?" Maxwell responded, her mouth practically crammed.

Planting a hand on the table, she growled, "Like that!"

Ludger sighed as he watched the back and forth continue.

Watching them, Liz too began putting as much food in her mouth as she could before swallowing, Sella smacking her on the head. "Don't encourage them!"

Rin laughed weakly as she watched the events unfolding. "I see things haven't changed much since we've been gone."

Shiro nodded in response. "Yeah, it's all mostly the same. Including my little sister not knowing about magic." With an eerie smile, she added, "So do be sure to keep it that way, Rin."

"R – Right," the twin-tailed girl stammered slightly before Ruby popped up out of her bag.

"That's if she manage to not screw up like normal."

"Shut it!" Rin demanded, stuffing Ruby back in the bag.

"What is that thing?" Sella asked, bewildered.

"A talking stick," Maxwell answered with her mouth full.

"… Right…"

Sapphire and Milla both just sighed, Iri redirection the conversation, "Well, since we've cleared the air now, how about we find out just what's going on here?"

"Right…" Rin grumbled.

"Sounds good to me," Ludger answered. "Myself, Milla, and Maxwell are, basically from another dimension."

Iri raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh? Intriguing. Very intriguing."

"Wow…" Sella remarked.

"Tasty snacks there?" Liz questioned.

Ludger looked at her, rather perplexed. "Huh?"

"Do you have tasty snacks in your dimension?"

"Uh… I guess…?"

"Make some."

"… Huh? It isn't that simple. I'd try mutton, but I don't think all the ingredients exist here."

"Mmm… mutton…" the glassy-eyed girl mumbled with a minute smile.

"What?"

Sella questioned, "That's made from sheep, isn't it?"

Ludger tilted his head in further confusion. "Huh? No, it's like a really sweet bread."

"Eh?" Sella and the others gasped softly in surprise.

"Yeah. I don't know what it is here, but mutton in our world is a baked good like a cake."

"Make some," Liz coldly demanded again.

Ludger just sighed. "I just told you, most of the ingredients probably don't exist here. Just like how mutton isn't the same thing here."

She stared at him silently with her unflinching expression.

Ludger stared back at her with an expression of confusion and concern.

Her gaze remained unbroken at him, without even a hint of emotion beyond desire.

Eventually Ludger put his hands up in defeat. "… Okay, okay! I'll see what I can do!"

Her expression finally softened slightly with a smile.

Milla could only stare at the woman in a mix of annoyance and envy.

"Make me some too!" Maxwell urged, raising a hand.

Ludger looked at her incredulously, not sure how to react.

Fortunately for him, Milla redirected the conversation swiftly. "Look, before we get into that, we still need to find somewhere to stay."

Iri reacted with a wide smile, causing Rin to pale in horror. "… Oh no…"

"What?" Luvia asked obliviously.

Iri clapped her hands together gently and spoke up. "I have a suggestion."

"Oh? What is it?" Ludger asked, looking to her.

"We have a few extra rooms here."

Rin hung her head in defeat. "I knew it…"

"Really?" the white-haired man asked in mild surprise.

Iri nodded in return. "You can use them if you like. Until you find a place of your own."

Ludger nodded appreciatively. "Sounds good to me."

"We're all going to die here…" Rin lamented.

Maxwell looked at her in bewilderment. "Why do you say that? It seems quaint enough to me."

"Indeed," Iri agreed with her worryingly wide smile still in place.

"This is such a bad idea…" the girl grumbled once more.

"Why?" Maxwell asked, with her mouth yet again crammed with food.

That seemed to jog something in Shiro's memory. "Oh, that's right. Rin, Luvia, have you two applied for a school here yet?"

"No," Luvia answered simply.

Nodding with an excited smile, Shiro urged, "Then why don't you apply at Kuoh?"

"Kuoh?" Luvia questioned.

Rin explained, "It's the main high school here in Fuyuki."

Luvia nodded in seeming understanding. "Ah. So nothing special."

Iri replied with sarcasm, "Aside from the fact it's attended and run by devils, not to mention it has a high cost to get into."

Shrugging, Rin remarked, "I don't really plan on being here long enough to need it."

Iri looked at Rin with an overly sweet smile. "Oh?"

"I plan to find what we're looking for and then leave."

Her smile widened more, her eyes narrowing. "Without continuing your schoolwork?"

Rin began to wince and tremble. "… I – I was gonna continue when I get back to England."

Her smile widened almost impossibly, her eyes shutting dangerously. "So you planned to use your time here to not do schoolwork at all?"

Rin and Luvia both felt terrified shivers up their spines before bowing. "… We'll apply…"

"Good to hear," Iri answered, her smile returning to normal.

Ludger began to sweat in worry as he watched the events.

"Uwah!" Illya exclaimed as she returned from the bath, only to see Milla and the others at the table. "There's a lot more people here now!"

Maxwell looked at the girl in thought, glancing between her and Iri. "Mini-Iri."

Smiling still, Iri introduced, "This is my daughter, Illyasviel."

She nodded in understanding. "I see."

Illya curiously looked between Maxwell and Milla. "You two look the same. Are you twins?"

Maxwell was about to speak when Milla cut her off. "Yes, but my sister here is a bit of a moron. So ignore anything weird she blathers out."

"Oh. Okay." Just like that she believed it.

"Illya," Iri spoke up, getting the girl's attention. "Illya. Ludger and his friends will be staying here for a while."

"Really?" she asked with a mixture of awe and excitement.

Sella showed the new guests to their rooms, near the back of the house.

Ludger looked around the relatively large room Sella took him to.

"Well, what do you think?"

"It's rather small for two people."

"Two?"

Milla argued, "I'll be staying with him, obviously."

Sella looked at her in mild surprise. "Huh? Not with your sister?"

Sighing, Milla rebuffed, "She isn't actually my sister, I just need to keep what she is a secret from the kid, and Maxwell isn't very good at those it seems. And yes, I will be staying in a room with my boyfriend."

Sella frowned coldly. "… Don't do anything lewd when Illya's here."

Milla put her arms on her hips with a smirk. "Oh don't worry, we'll lock the door."

Sella shot down her idea by knocking on the wall, Liz responded from the other side, "What?"

Milla just stared at her, irritated. "I'll be sure and cast some wind magic so no sound escapes."

Sella eventually gave up on dissuading her. "… If you cause any problems, it's Miss Irisviel you'll have to deal with, not me."

She just folded her arms obstinately. "I fought a giant scorpion that shoots fire, I think I'll be fine."

Sella just stared at her incredulously before dropping the point. "… Right… well, let me know if you need anything."

"Understood."

After Sella left, Ludger sat on the bed and was quickly deep in thought over their current situation.

Seeing this, Milla walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?"

He nodded with a heavy sigh. "Yeah. I'm just trying to think what we're going to do from here. I know we need to find those Cards and all that, but I'm not even sure where to begin."

"Why not get a job then?" she suggested with a shrug.

Ludger put a hand on his chin in thought. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I'll have to ask Irisviel and the others if they have any suggestions."

"I think that Leysritt would only suggest you cooking."

"Well I am a pretty good cook," he answered rather proudly, only getting a silent deadpan from her. Laughing weakly, he relented, "… Okay, okay, bad joke. Still, maybe I can get hired as a cook somewhere."

"Right," she replied plainly before sitting next to him.

Several long moments passed in silence before Milla spoke up.

"… Hey, Ludger, do you think Elle's okay?"

"Of course," he answered quietly. "Elize, Leia, Rowen, and the others are there."

Milla sat silently again as her expression darkened. "… Do you think we'll make it back…?"

Ludger put his right hand on her left and looked at her with the warmest smile he could muster. "I have no doubt. We will make it back to her. Together," he answered as he tightened his grip on her delicate hand, the two leaning closer to each other.

The next morning, over breakfast, Iri looked at Ludger in thought as he asked his question from the previous night. "A job? Hm… I know a few places are hiring, but I can't give you that many specifics off the top of my head."

"I see…" Ludger answered in slight dismay. "Any place looking for a cook?"

Gulping down her food in a hurry to answer, Shiro spat out, "Kuoh's main cook just retired, with the assistant chef taking over the position, so they need someone to be the new assistant chef."

Ludger nodded in approval. "Sounds good to me."

Shiro nodded with a smile as well. "Today's Monday, so I'll be heading there after breakfast. I can show you the way with Rin and Luvia."

"Sounds good to me, Shiro," he answered simply, but was shocked when the girl's face lit up vibrantly red and she gasped in disbelief. Seeing the others looking at him, he wondered what had happened.

Sella explained, "In this country, it's rude to address someone by their first name if you're not close to them."

"Oh. Sorry about that…" he lamented his ignorance.

Shiro, staring intently at the floor with a flushed face and fidgeting her fingers, stammered, "I – It's okay…"

"So, Emiya then…?"

"Y – Yeah," she answered slightly clearer.

"Got it."

Iri added, "You'll want to talk to the headmistress about applying for any jobs there. It could be tense though, since Kuoh just stopped being an all-girls school."

That caught Rin off-guard. "Wait, really? It's coed now?"

Iri nodded plainly. "Yes. It started two years ago."

"Great…" she groaned.

Iri sighed in disappointment. "Yes, I know. It's no longer a place you can ogle just girls at."

Luvia interjected, practically spitting in shock, "What the hell brought that up!?"

Iri looked at the blonde in slight confusion. "You're not lesbians?"

Rin and Luvia, their faces both red with embarrassment and anger, shouted back, "NO!"

"Aw…"

Ludger sat silently staring at the floor, trying to hide his embarrassment, Illya and Maxwell just looking around the room in confusion.

"What is a lesbian?" Maxwell questioned.

Illya nodded in equal curiosity.

Iri just replied, "I'll explain to you in private, Maxwell. Illya, you'll learn when you're older."

Illya puffed her cheeks in frustration. "Not fair…"

Shiro just groaned in frustration, Ludger staring at the events in disbelief.

Eventually, Shiro led Ludger, Rin, and Luvia to the school. A large, elaborate building, no less than five stories high, with a prominent domed roof in the center, and a three-meter-high brick wall surrounding the entire property with only one gate for entry.

"Yeah…" Luvia muttered as she looked around.

Rin nodded in agreement. "It's even bigger than I remembered…"

Pointing to the large main building, Shiro explained, "They added the large main school building a few years ago. That one to the left is the old school building you remember. It's not really used for anything anymore. Well, except the Occult Research Club."

"The what?" Ludger asked.

"The Occult Research Club," she repeated.

"I heard you, I just don't know what it is."

"In reality, it's nothing. It's a cover name for the Peerage of one of the higher-ranking devils that goes to school here and her activities."

He just nodded in response, there being too much in that sentence for him to unpack.

"You'll all need to talk to the headmistress, so I'll show you the way. Then I need to get to class."

"Sure."

Ludger silently followed Shiro, Rin, and Luvia through the halls of the school towards the headmistress' office, Ludger taking note of the sheer number of female students in the school, with only a handful of male students that occasionally stood out. 'There's certainly a lot of girls here… I bet Milla would be having a fit if she knew…'

Milla sneezed as she sat in the family room with Iri and the others, before growling to herself. "… For some reason I really want to hit Ludger right now…"

Iri urged, "You can hit him when he gets back."

Milla frowned slightly before nodding. "… Right."

Maxwell argued, "I don't think violence is the answer to every problem."

Milla huffed with disinterest. "You're a Great Spirit, you have an easy button."

Maxwell's cowlick nearly stood straight up. "Easy mutton?! Where?!" she exclaimed as she looked around frantically.

Milla sighed heavily in frustration. "… Moron."

As Ludger followed Shiro, he felt a sudden shiver down his spine.

"You alright?" Luvia asked, concerned.

"Y – Yeah. Just felt a chill." He rubbed his arms as they rounded a corner, not paying attention as someone bumped into him. "Huh?" Looking down, he saw a girl with short, light blue hair. "Oh, sorry about that."

The girl stood up slowly and dusted off her skirt, Ludger getting a better look at her. Her light blue hair was topped with a large cowlick, a white hairband with frills just above her bangs, which fell on atop her dark amber eyes, a short braid hanging down the left side of her face, her uniform mostly similar to Shiro's, the vest accentuating her moderate bosom and her knee-high black socks exposing the majority of her well-toned legs. "I'm fine," she responded coldly before looking at Ludger momentarily, something seeming to click in her mind for just a second.

Seeing the minute shift in her expression, Ludger got concerned. "Um… are you sure you're okay, Ms.?"

"I'm fine," she retorted harshly before walking briskly away.

Ludger watched her leave in concern that he messed up again.

Shiro assuaged his concerns. "Don't take it personally. That's just how Yuki Nonaka is. She's cold to everyone. Everyone thinks she's mean, but she's not quite mean. Just… aloof."

"Ah…" he replied, still somewhat unconvinced but accepting her answer.

"Okay, the headmistress' office is on the top floor. It's gonna take a few flights to get there."

"Lead the way."

"Here we are," Shiro explained as she took Ludger and the two to a set of large double doors on the top floor.

Ludger could not suppress a small whistle as he looked at the two and a half meter tall, ornately decorated doors. "… Those are some big doors…"

"Yeah…" Luvia nodded slowly in agreement.

Shiro knocked firmly on the door, a childish voice from the other side beckoning, "Come in!"

As the doors swung open, Ludger saw into the rather opulently decorated room, with the left and right walls adorned with tall bookshelves, and three huge windows with the curtains drawn behind a large wooden desk.

Sat at the desk was a girl who was, in almost all respects, childlike. She was rather short, with long, silky black hair drawn in twintails with pink ribbons, her bangs framing her bright orchid eyes, wearing a dark green beret and matching jacket, with a black pencil skirt and tall brown boots. The one aspect about her that was decidedly not childish, was her curvaceous bosom that threatened to tear the buttons from her coat.

"You must be the headmistress," Ludger rhetorically questioned.

"Y – Yes, I am," she answered slightly uneasy as she looked at him.

"And you are?" a new voice asked.

Ludger turned and saw a tall, alluring woman with long, dark violet hair tied up in a bun, deep lavender eyes, and a body just as voluptuous as the girl next to her, her own cleavage barely held in by the white blouse she wore, the lacy bra underneath poking out, along with a tight black skirt and thigh-high black stockings, her eyes peering out sharply behind her red-rimmed glasses. Gulping slightly at the situation, Ludger maintained his composure and answered plainly, "Looking for a job."

"O – Oh?" the headmistress asked, her mood seeming to settle. Standing up, she addressed him formally. "Ahem, I am Sera Shitori, the headmistress of the school." Taking a moment to look to the purple-haired woman next to her, she finished their conversation. "Oh, Miss Suzune, is there anything else you wish to discuss?"

"No," Suzune answered with a shake of her head. "I can handle the rest of this matter myself." Bowing, she turned and left the room through the two large doors, taking moment to look Ludger over as she left.

Ludger tilted his head in mild confusion as she disappeared down the hall.

"Well, I've got class, see you later," Shiro responded with a bow.

Waving, Ludger returned, "Take care."

Smiling, Sera looked at Rin and Luvia. "Tohsaka, you've certainly grown up."

"And you haven't changed much at all, Lady Serafall," Rin responded.

Ludger was more confused than before now. "Serafall?"

Sera, or rather, Serafall, looked at Rin in concern and a hint of anger. "T – Tohsaka!"

"It's okay Lady Serafall, he's aware of the darker side of the world. In more ways than one."

Blinking, Ludger looked at Serafall in thought. "Oh. She's a mage I take it?"

"Not exactly."

Sighing with a defeated smile, Serafall shrugged. "Well since the cat's out of the bag, I'll give you a proper introduction. I am Serafall Leviathan, one of the Four Great Satans who rule over the Underworld."

Ludger nodded in understanding, though that information still threw him for a bit of a loop. "Ludger Kresnik. Visitor."

Serafall tilted her head in mild confusion. "Visitor?"

"Yes, he's –" Rin began to explain, only for Luvia to physically push her aside and interrupt.

"You see, he's actually from another dimension."

Serafall stared at the trio silently for several long, uncomfortable, drawn out seconds. "… Eh?"

The silence in the room was interrupted by a familiar bickering.

"I was just about to say that before you interrupted me," Rin hissed.

Luvia puffed her already exorbitant chest out further. "Well I say it sounds much better through my voice than your backwater drawl."

"Drawl!? I've been living in England for three years; my accent is completely gone!"

"A bumpkin is a bumpkin," Luvia remarked crassly.

"Oh yeah!? Well you're a cow!" Rin shot back. "A big ol' heifer!"

"U – Um…" Serafall mumbled, barely able to interject.

Luvia's temper was growing swiftly. "ell at least I actually have something a man would want, you've barely got mosquito bites!"

"Humph! At least I guess you're consistent, F's on your chest and in your grades!"

As their argument spun out of control, Ruby popped up out of Rin's bag and looked at Sapphire. "Sis, I think these two are truly hopeless."

Sighing, Sapphire responded with a curl similar to a nod. "Unfortunately I have to agree."

"Knock it off you two," Ludger interjected, going completely ignored.

Luvia gave a broad, cruel smirk and taunted her further. "Well maybe if you weren't built like a rail, everyone wouldn't assume you're into women."

Rin's face practically lit up in bright red from a mixture of shame and rage. "Wh – Why you…! Take that back!"

Luvia's smirk widened, as she realized she had struck a nerve. "Why? It's only the truth!"

As their argument descended further into madness, Ruby and Sapphire both flew out from their bags and towards the window, Serafall watching with childlike curiosity.

As they reached the large windows, Sapphire turned to her directly. "Could you be a dear and open the window, please?"

Serafall was too surprised by the whole situation to do anything but acquiesce. "S – Sure…" She tilted the window open slightly, allowing the two magical devices to fly outside freely.

Sighing, Ludger realized there was only one way this argument would end.

Two loud thuds reverberated through the room, leaving Luvia and Rin doubled over with large red welts on their heads.

"That's enough out of both of you," Ludger chided coldly.

"How could you do that!?" they both shot back in unison.

That seemed to finally switch Ludger's temper. "Your squabbling is derailing the whole point of our visit, and your wands both just flew out the damn window deeming you unfit!"

The two stared at him silently, as if waiting for a punchline of some sort. They quickly realized there was not one.

"EH!?"

Serafall pointed to the window behind her. "Yeah, they just left."

"EEEHHH!?"

Luvia turned her confused anger on her rival. "You flat-chested boar, this is all your fault!"

Rin curled back and pointed at the blonde. "Mine?! You're the boob-headed forklift without a brain!"

With two more loud thwacks, the girls doubled over before their argument could heat up further. Ludger just coldly warned, "Keep it up and you'll walk out of here with more welts than hair."

Serafall laughed weakly as she watched the events unfold, not entirely certain how to respond. "You certainly know how to keep a rowdy bunch in line."

"You have no idea…" he grumbled as he scratched his head.

"So is that the kind of position you're here for? Disciplinary officer?"

While likely not intending it that way, Ludger could not help but feel as if he had just been insulted somewhat. "N – No. I was actually hoping to apply to be the assistant chef, since I heard you needed a new one."

"Oh," she muttered in realization. "Actually, we already filled that role over the weekend."

That answer frustrated him.

Serafall came back with a new offer, "If you're that desperate for a job though, we do have something that might work. Have you ever taught before?"

He tilted his head in slight confusion but nodded all the same. "Somewhat. Why?"

"Our home ec teacher moved away some time ago and we haven't had a chance to replace her."

He furrowed his brow in consternation. "I'm afraid I don't quite know what that is…"

Walking up to him, Rin explained, "Basically someone who teaches the students how to do everyday tasks. Cooking, cleaning, sewing, and the like."

"Oh," he muttered in recognition. "I think I can handle that."

Serafall nodded with a smile. "Perfect. Now, you two, I'm assuming you're here to apply to the school?"

"Yes, ma'am," Rin answered formally.

"Right." She then turned her attention to Ludger. "Mr. Kresnik, it'll take longer for you and I to finish your end of things, so I'll attend to you later. The Student Council office is on the floor just below my office, I'm sure Sona-Tan will show you around." Turning to Rin and Luvia, she motioned them closer. "I'll see you two first."

"Thanks," Ludger offered as he walked out.

Heading to the lower floor, Ludger headed to where Serafall directed him. "Okay, directly where her office is on the lower floor. That would be… here." Deciding, he knocked on the door in front of him.

The door opened slightly and an elegant young woman with long, straight, jet black hair that reached her knees, wearing the same uniform as Shiro with a black mantle that had white accents, as well as a formidable bustline, peered out of the doorway, her mismatched violet and chestnut eyes peering at him over her blue-rimmed glasses. "Yes? Can I help you?"

"Is this the student council room?"

"It is," she answered curtly before stepping aside.

Inside was a large, spacious room, though not as expansive as Serafall's office. Along the wall were various boards with plans, announcements, and other such information, as well as a few dry erase boards with various things written on them. In the center of the room was a long table with many chairs.

At the chair on the opposite end of the table to the door sat another girl, her hair much shorter, barely reaching her shoulders. She had the same bright violet eyes as Serafall, though hers held a far more pointed gaze than the excitable girl upstairs. Her body was also much more mature in form, save for her rather lacking figure. Clad in the same Kuoh uniform with a mantle, her eyes were momentarily blocked by the glare of her pink-rimmed glasses as she adjusted them to look at Ludger. "Hm? I don't recognize you," she said in a cold, analytical voice.

Responding with a light bow, as he had noticed the others doing in greetings, Ludger introduced himself. "I'm new here, Ludger Kresnik. The headmistress sent me to talk with you. I take it you're Sona-Tan?"

The girl's entire face lit up beet red as she sputtered where she sat.

The long-haired girl stared in silent disbelief.

Ludger noticed the various stares around the room and felt like he was being hunted. "Erm… did I do something wrong…?"

"Not only… not only did you call me by my first name when you just met me… you used that embarrassing –!" the girl at the table began to rant. However, as she got a closer look at Ludger, her rage began to subside into a pit of confusion. "N – No way…" she stuttered quietly as her body trembled.

Tilting his head, Ludger worried about why she was shaking so much. "Um… you okay, Miss?"

She adjusted her glasses once more as she stood and cleared her voice with a light cough. "Y – Yes, I'm fine. Merely astounded you'd call me that on our first meeting."

He just raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Isn't Sona-Tan your name?"

The girl flinched again as her face reddened further. "S – Stop saying that. My name is Sona Shitori."

"Really?"

"Yes," she answered bluntly.

Ludger decided to press it. "Ms. Serafall said the same thing before telling me her real name, so mind if I ask what yours is?"

Sona frowned with a sense of frustration. "That stupid sister of mine sure knows how to babble."

The long-haired woman then proceeded to shut the door behind Ludger and lock it.

Looking around the room at the girls who all tensed and seemed ready to move, Ludger could only sigh. "If you intend to try anything violent, I suggest against it. I don't care if you are demons or not, but I'd rather not have to hurt you."

Sona silently stood, staring him down, as if examining or challenging him.

Ludger's gaze did not falter either, the two locked in a high-stakes staring contest.

After a few more moments of silence, Sona merely sat back in her chair and looked at Ludger. "My name is Sona Sitri, heiress to the Sitri Clan. That moron upstairs, aside from being the headmistress, is also my older sister. That… name she calls me is something from my childhood I'd rather she stop." Adjusting her glasses with a pointed glower, she warned, "I hope you do the same."

Ludger nodded in recognition. "I understand, Miss Sitri."

Sona stared at him further, her cold glare seeming to fall into a more somber one before she abruptly changed gears. "So, what is it that she sent you here for?"

"To get a tour of the school."

She cocked an eyebrow at that answer. "You look a little old to be a student."

He shook his head in denial. "I'm not. I'll be the new home ec teacher."

That explanation caught her by mild surprise. "Is that so?" After a moment of thought, she continued. "I still have some duties to attend to here, and a meeting to deal with." Turning to the long-haired woman that had answered the door, Sona ordered, "Tsubaki, will you show him around?"

Tsubaki answered with a bow. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good," she chirped simply.

Tsubaki then opened the door and motioned to the hallway. "This way."

"Lead the way," he urged, the duo heading out of the room.

As they did, Sona slumped back in her chair before looking out the window. "So… is it really you, Lulu…?"

The lights flicked on in a room of the school that had not seen much attention for a while as Tsubaki and Ludger walked in.

"This is the home ec room," she explained. "If you get the job you'll be spending most of your time here."

Just across from the sliding door to the room was a large desk with a stove, sink, and oven in front of a blackboard. Several smaller sinks and stoves were placed evenly apart through the room.

"The tables pushed against the wall there will be cleaned by the janitors at night, so you don't need to worry about cleaning them yourself unless you plan to work with raw meats. The burners over there still work despite not being used for a few months."

There was also a long countertop along the wall next to the door with several cupboards below and above it. Tsubaki then pointed to a door in the back corner of the room.

"All of the cookware and utensils are kept in the closet at the back. Feel free to bring your own if you have more exact preferences."

Ludger nodded as he opened the door and saw a variety of ladles, spatulas, mixing bowls, and more. "Sure, I might just do that."

Tsubaki added, "While the majority are human, many of the students attending here are also devils, so it may behoove you to look into devil cuisine." She then adjusted her glasses with a derogatory glare. "Oh, and, piece of advice, Mr. Kresnik. Do not refer to us as demons ever again."

"I take it it's considered some kind of slur?"

"Indeed."

"I'll make sure not to do it again."

"Good. In the cabinets over there you will find various other tools. Thread and yarn of various colors, fabrics of varying patterns and shades, as well as some basic patterns and designs for clothing and household objects."

"Good to know."

On the second floor, she showed him to a large cafeteria with rather plain décor. "This is the teacher's lounge. To my understanding it's not required you take your breaks here, but it would be a good idea to get to know your colleagues."

"Got it."

Pointing to the floor, she added, "The teachers' office is on the floor below. I believe Ms. Fujimura will show you around that room."

"Fujimura?"

"Taiga Fujimura is the second-year homeroom teacher and is usually the one that shows new teachers around the school. However, she's currently out sick. She is also only a few years older than you."

Ludger raised an eyebrow slightly. 'I don't see how that's relevant, but okay…' "Understood. Any other rooms I should know about?"

Tsubaki put a finger on her chin in thought. "Just the changing rooms. That is, you should stay away from them unless you want to have a scandal."

"R – Right…" he stuttered, seeing the rather obvious veiled threat.

"I'm glad we have an understanding."

"I take it that's everything then?"

Tsubaki nodded in response. "As far as it pertains to your duties that is."

"Right. Oh, what's your name again?"

"Tsubaki Shinra."

"Right, thanks for the tour Tsu – er, Shinra. Still need to get used to that…"

"That you do. It would cause quite the misunderstanding if you called a student by their first name."

"Right…"

"I will show you the rest of the school, however, most of it won't pertain to your particular tasks."

"Go right ahead," he urged.

"This way."

She then proceeded to take him out of the back of the school, where there was a large fountain around which brick pathways lead in four directions, separating what was otherwise a huge grass area. "This is the school's rear courtyard. Besides the cafeteria or classrooms, you'll likely see a lot of students here during the breaks. It's also common to see some of the teachers out here as well."

"Got it."

"To the west is the track, most of the physical education classes are there. To the southwest is the tennis court, to the south is the pool. If you get permission from the headmistress, you can book a period of time to use it for yourself. To the east is the gymnasium. Indoor sports and school-wide events are held there."

"Right." Before she could continue, Ludger heard a loud thud nearby and turned to see a small group of students gathered around one that had collapsed on the ground.

One of the students, a tall, slim, toned girl with tanned skin and a voluptuous figure, long, dark purple, almost black hair that reached the floor, part of it covering one of her ice blue eyes, wearing a uniform of a white a shirt with red bloomers, knelt down to help the other student, a girl with an equally filled out figure, though not as toned, with much lighter skin, and hip-length dark brown hair tied into two long parts with large yellow beads, her tired green eyes behind round, frameless glasses, wearing the same uniform as the girl next to her.

"Gentoku, I told you not to push yourself so hard," the tanned girl chided as she helped the brunette to her feet.

"I – I'm okay, Kan'u, really," the brunette argued weakly as she stood shakily.

"Is everything alright?" Ludger asked, approaching the girls.

The tanned girl, Kan'u, stepped in front of her friend with a fierce expression aimed at Ludger.

He responded by putting his hands up in a show of peace. "Hey now, I'm not here to cause trouble, just to help. She looks like she needs some."

Kan'u stared at him for a few moments more before stepping aside, allowing him to get to the brown-haired beauty.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine, really. I just got exhausted," she argued, albeit the flush and sweat she was coated with, unlike the students around her, told a different story.

Tsubaki walked up to the situation, her arms folded under her globes, and urged, "You needn't worry yourself too much about this, Kresnik. Gentoku Ryuubi has a habit of pushing herself further in PE than she can handle."

Ryuubi looked at Tsubaki desperately. "Th – That's not true! I can handle it!"

"Says the girl about to pass out from fatigue," Ludger responded dryly.

Kan'u nodded fervently in agreement. "You need to rest, Gentoku."

Raising an eyebrow, Ludger looked at the brunette. "Gentoku? Is that your name?"

Blushing slightly more, she answered, "G – Gentoku Ryuubi."

"Right, so… Ryuubi then?" he asked to no one in particular, glancing back at Tsubaki, nodded in affirmation. 'Okay, I think I'm getting used to this custom.' Looking up at Kan'u, he asked, "Do you need help getting her anywhere?"

Kan'u looked at him with suspicion once again. "I plan to take her to the nurse's office, but I can do it myself."

"Ah…"

Tsubaki interjected, "I think it will be fine, Kan'u. I was planning on showing him to the nurse's office next anyway."

Kan'u glanced between Ludger and Tsubaki for a moment before relenting with a sigh. "Very well…"

Ludger followed Tsubaki down the hall, carrying Ryuubi on his back, Kan'u staring at him with a distinct coldness, though he could sense hostility in her mostly emotionless gaze.

"Not fair… not fair… not fair…" she repeated under her breath.

Ludger turned to her, not having heard her, and she just turned away silently. He sighed in exasperation.

"Here," Tsubaki motioned as they reached a set of doors far removed from any others. "This is the nurse's office. Chisato Hasegawa is the one who runs and manages it."

Right as she finished her introduction, the door opened, and a tall, beautiful woman with long black hair that reached her knees walked out, her deep green eyes hidden behind a simple pair of glasses, and her white coat hiding most of her outfit, consisting of a striped green sweater that heavily accentuated her burgeoning twins, a tight black pencil skirt, and thigh-high brown stockings with black, high-heeled shoes. "Is something the matter?" she asked in a cool, almost emotionless voice before surveying the situation. However, her gaze stopped when she saw Ludger.

He was not sure of it, but he saw a hint of surprise as she saw him, though if it was there she masked it well.

"Is she injured?"

"No, Ms. Hasegawa," Tsubaki answered. "Merely fatigued."

"I see. You can set her on any bed you choose."

Ludger nodded in understanding and placed Ryuubi in the nearest bed, Kan'u following and eventually staying by her side. He noticed, however, as he did, Chisato's gaze followed his every step.

Tsubaki went on to explain, "So if you ever need anything medical related, you come here."

"Got it," he answered with a nod, before turning to Chisato. "You need anything Dr. Hasegawa?"

The raven-haired beauty just shook her head. "No."

Her actions said otherwise, but he decided not to push it. "… Right…" He then turned his attention back to Tsubaki. "Anything else to show me?"

Tsubaki shook her head in refutation. "No. That is everything."

"Got it. I'll be heading back then."

"Very well."

He frowned to himself slightly as he left, the girls all watching him silently as he walked out, save for the passed out Ryuubi.

"Ah, Ludger, you're just in time," Serafall greeted as Ludger entered her office.

"Oh?"

"Yep! You're all set for working here!"

That answer, he was not expecting. "… But we haven't even had an interview."

She just tilted her head in mild confusion. "So?"

He stared at her in silence, trying to glean some sort of sense from her actions, but eventually gave up the idea and just went with it. "… Right… Just… give me my work schedule and I'll start tomorrow…"

She shook her head lightly in response. "Not just yet. We need to go over some things first, like a lesson plan for the semester and the groups of students you'll be teaching and when. Plus I need to get some of this paperwork sorted. So, come back… Wednesday, and I'll get started on that." She paused for thought.

And there you have it! The end of the second chapter of Chromatic Devil: Reborn. More than a little bit of a wait between the two chapters, I know. But that's what happens sometimes. Regardless, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, be sure to let me know with a review if you did. If you were confused, unsure, or simply have questions on anything, leave them as a review and I will do what I can to address them in the next reviewer response. Which I promise won't be two years away. If you did not like it, review if you must, but might I suggest doing something you actually like instead? Anyway, enough rambling, until next time, bye-bye!