"Lady Koneko, it is time to wake."

Koneko groaned, burrowing deeper under the covers, away from the bustling voices of her maids. Like a cat seeking the succor of warmth, she rubbed her whole body into the bedsheets, desperate to eke out as much heat as she could.

"Lady Koneko?"

"Alright, alright, I'm up…" she all but hissed. Her eyes flashed open. She stretched her limbs and crawled out from under the covers, eyeing her maids ruefully. She held out her hand, and one of the maids placed a small piece of candy on top of it. She swallowed it; letting it melt in her mouth before she nodded and rose from the bed completely, shaking her tail loose from sleepiness as the maids began to ready her clothes.

Much as she wanted some more time for herself, being one of the Last Dragon's wives necessitated a certain obedience to proper protocol. As his wives, it was vital that the Palace was run in a strict and exact manner, according to rules laid down since the Last Dragon hatched.

Not that the Last Dragon himself had ever decreed such things as necessary—knowing that guy he'd as much prefer to be left alone in his tower than dictate how his household was run.

As the bridal representative of the various yo-kai clans of the Far East, Koneko Toujou occupied a not insignificant status among the current batch of wives. However, she'd been unable to fully dominate the harem as had been expected of her—that honor had gone to Rias Gremory, a woman she respected.

After a light breakfast, most of the wives met at the parlor, where they and their respective retainers were arrayed around the room. The atmosphere in the room was alike to a war council, hidden behind silken skirts and perfume. It was markedly different from the wedding reception that had occurred just last night, where everyone tried to be on their best behaviors and put up a gay smile.

"Koneko will attend to the new arrival this time?" someone asked.

"Yes," she announced. "Leave it to me."

"It is good to see a yo-kai can be depended upon."

She ignored that jab, and idly played with her nails. Too often there was a need to put down those who came from vastly different supernatural stock, which often lead to heated arguments among the harem. Unfortunately for them, Koneko was the sort of cat who nursed grudges for a long term, and only if she really felt like it.

"Have her caretakers been readied?" she asked instead. "Have they been briefed?"

No one answered. Even Rias looked troubled, hesitant. The silence continued until Akeno Himejima leaned forward in her chair and said, "She doesn't have them. Not a single one."

The others looked among themselves. "How can this be?" "She doesn't have one?" Questions were murmured, back and forth.

"As expected," Rias said, sighing. "She is just a human, after all."

Everyone knew that from last night. But everyone had also expected that her entourage—that is to say, the maids and servants who would attend to her and be integrated into the Palace—would also have been arranged. Yet it appeared that none of it had been prepared beforehand, leaving the Last Dragon's wives dumbfounded. On the surface it was a mark of shame, especially for the faction who had forwarded the woman to become a wife. The need to overcome that label had been the sole reason for the many lavish things that had accompanied a wife's entry into the Last Dragon's household.

Koneko herself was curious as to why. After all, the human had not come to petition the Last Dragon to become his wife. It had been arranged for her by certain high-profile individuals of the supernatural world—like the ones involved in the Dragon Compact. One would have thought they would have prepared everything else that the new wife needed, but apparently that was not the case.

"For the time being, I shall offer a couple of my maids to serve her," Rias said.

"And I volunteer mine own as well," said another wife, a little too quickly in Koneko's opinion. But if she wanted to curry favor with the top wife, then more power to her.

"Then I shall offer one of mine own servants as guard," said Rossweisse, the Valkyrie.

"I believe that shall suffice for now," Rias said with a nod. "But this shan't be a permanent state of affairs, mind. We must treat the human just as if she was any other who was accepted into the Last Dragon's demesne. As such I expect the best behavior to be accorded to the newest and youngest of our number, as we expect her to do the same."

Fat chance of that, Koneko thought. The mere fact that she was a lowly human, and the youngest one at that (relatively speaking) meant the poor wife was going to be navigating a shark-infested sea. And she doubted Rias herself would be actively monitoring the situation, given her role as head of the harem.

With the meeting adjourned, Koneko snapped her fingers for her maids to follow her as she headed straight for the Last Dragon's tower.

Ordinarily, one would reasonably expect the aftermath of a wedding night to be somewhat "messy". But as in her own experience, and the experience of the wives who came before and after her, the actual reality was much different.

The bride sat through the whole night inside the bridal chambers, waiting for a groom that would never come. Bewilderment, relief, disappointment, insulted—such were the emotions that went through each new wife's minds as they begun to realize the reality of being married to the Last Dragon.

Koneko for her part had gotten bored and had been playing a game of cat's cradle all by herself until the night ended. Eventually, she had gotten very much drowsy, and it was in that state that she had been found by Akeno the morning after. It was then that she discovered the truth about it all, and the massive irony that was their current lives: to be married to a creature who did not at all want them.

She had her attendants knock on the door. When there was no answer, she had them check inside the room before her. If there was indeed any unpleasantness inside—or if the impossible happened, that her husband was inside—she wanted to be prepared for it.

The attendant returned, shaking her head. In a way, Koneko was relieved. She poked her head inside the room. Then, she sighed.

The newest wife, the human, still dressed in her wedding clothes, was fast asleep on the bed, her body completely slack and helpless. Aside from that, the rest of the room was undisturbed, showing no sign that the Dragon had ever entered.

She waved, and her attendants started bustling all over the room, swiftly removing the decorations placed there for the wedding. Then Koneko went to the bedside, staring at the blonde for a brief moment, before she cleared her throat. She snapped her finger.

"Wake."

It was cheating to use magic like this, and was bad manners for anyone else, but the target was a human, who was presumably unaware. The blonde's eyes snapped open, looking around fearfully before she zeroed in on her.

"Hi, Asia Argento," she greeted.

"H-h-hello," the human said, sitting up and drawing her dress around her like it would protect her.

"Just so we're clear, the Dragon never visited you after you got here, correct?" she asked.

"Err… no, I was just told to wait here, so I did what they asked…" That would have been Rossweisse, who had been her escort. "Um… Was there something I did wrong?"

She cocked her head. "Wrong? No. But perhaps you should be cursing your misfortune, that you got into this mess in the first place."

"Misfortune?"

"Tell me… Why exactly did you agree to this? You weren't forced, were you?" Despite recognizing the intricate backdrop of the whole situation, and that the circumstances required this whole arrangement; she still held a dim view of the whole situation, most especially if there was someone who'd been forced.

Asia looked down. "The angels told me that this was supposed to be an important job for someone of my skills. And they've already done so much for me—I couldn't just refuse. And I also knew, I mean, I was told beforehand that the Last Dragon would probably not care for me."

Koneko was taken aback. "What? Who told you?"

"Someone, I can't say," she said, shaking her head. She put her face in her hands. "Oh, but what a relief…"

"I don't see whatever relief you're talking about," Koneko drawled. "You're still married to him, like all of us. Like us, you are bound, body and soul, to that Dragon, through inviolable ritual and vow. Maybe sometime in the future his appetites will finally occur to him, and there is nothing that will stop him from partaking in you—or in any of us."

Fear returned to Asia's face. "H-h-has that ever happened?" she asked. "Has he ever…?"

Koneko shrugged. "Not to my knowledge. And every day I pray that the opportunity does not come. But it just might. Well, enough of that. I'll not be burdening you at this point. Though I am here to welcome you, as it were, to the 'family'."

"'Family'?"

"Yes, to all your fellow wives in the harem," Koneko said. She noticed the look on her face. "What is it? You don't like it?"

"No, I do not," Asia said, a little boldly for someone who was a mere human. "God has written that man may only love one and no other. This 'harem' goes against one of His teachings."

"I'm sensing a 'but' here," Koneko said wryly.

Asia sighed. "But I know this is the domain of beings far wiser than I. I may not like it, but I shall serve as my Lord Dragon's faithful wife, no matter the circumstances."

"Well, as you have plainly experienced, he's not one for indulging, our lord husband," said Koneko. "So maybe your wish will be fulfilled, from a certain point of view."

Asia still looked unconvinced, but Koneko had had enough of this kind of talk for the day. "Regardless of your feelings," the young youkai said bluntly, "It is protocol that the new wife be introduced to the rest of the harem, whereupon we can then decide on what role you'll be taking in the Palace."

"Role?"

"Yes," Koneko repeated, sighing. "We are as birds stuck in one big cage, so we do our best to entertain ourselves with good manners and elaborate rituals, just so we can endure one more day as the Last Dragon's wives. So, without further ado, welcome to the harem, Asia Argento. I do hope you can fit in."

After her attendants gave her a fresh change of clothes, Koneko then gave the human a tour of the whole place. She introduced her to practically all of the wives, who did not miss the chance to preen and show off their splendor. Koneko saw these as an attempt to intimidate the newest wife, which on the whole seemed to work, based on Asia's reactions.

But she did react more positively to the wife representative from heaven: the seraph Irina.

"I am sorry," Asia said, prostrating before the angel. "I have sinned greatly in the eyes of the Lord, for agreeing to this compact."

"I bid you rise, daughter of the Lord," said Irina, flexing the feathery wings on her back. "Have faith in God's infinite will. I too have sacrificed much to be here, so you do not sin alone. But as ever we bear this suffering as children of the Lord, and I implore you remain with grace and love."

"Thank you, great angel," she said, her voice trembling.

Irina shook her head, then glanced at Koneko briefly. "In this Palace, we are equals, Asia Argento. Remember that, for the sake of the great work we have to do here."

"I will do my best."

"Thank you Koneko," Irina said, smiling.

"I fulfill my duty," she said, waving. It was slightly disconcerting to have one Heaven's most bloodthirsty angels, with a kill count of more than a thousand, smiling at her like this.

The last wife to be introduced was Rias Gremory herself, who waited on the balcony overlooking the Palace City. She invited the both of them to sit and to partake of tea. Asia looked rather wary of the great Devil wings the redhead openly flaunted behind her.

"First of all, I would like to formally welcome you to our fold, Asia Argento. Know that we will do everything in our power to keep you safe," Rias said.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Rias," the Devil repeated. She smiled. "Call me Rias, dear. We are all in this together, right?"

Asia nodded. Rias' gaze switched to her before going back.

"Have you any questions, my dear? Please, do not hesitate to ask."

"I… The Dragon," Asia said. "Do we ever meet him?"

"Our lord husband comes and goes as he pleases," said Rias. "And we can never really predict his presence, or his passing. Except, perhaps, on occasions where he needs to be there—like a wedding, for instance."

"I see."

"If you really wanted to see him, we can certainly arrange for a message to be sent." Though as ever it was never a sure bet that he would respond. Plenty of wives had done so in the past, most jockeying to gain some measure of favor from the Last Dragon by ingratiating themselves with him. He had ever disappointed them.

"No that's alright," Asia said. "I was merely… curious."

Rias shrugged. "Very well. Have you any other concerns?"

"Not at the moment."

Rias sipped her tea calmly, yet her dumbfounded gaze sought Koneko's.

"… Really? Are you sure?"

"No… If it pleases you, I would like to retire to my room, Rias. I need to pray."

"Do go on, then, Asia Argento," Rias said. They both watched the girl rise and curtsy, before she left.

"She's a human alright," Koneko remarked.

"Indeed," Rias said. The fact that she hadn't inquired about her living arrangements, like her attendants and such, was quite telling. Even the Angels, who preached of self-governance and independence, insisted on bringing minor Angels with them—though not as maids but as bodyguards. Though one could argue that Irina Shidou was herself a weapon that few would want to match, never mind the fact that the Last Dragon's Palace was literally made to be impregnable.

"And here I thought I'd regretfully inform her that I would be pulling out my attendants soon…" Rias said. "That being said, I do have to thank you, Koneko. As I see it, you performed splendidly."

"I always do my best," Koneko said. "So what will we do about her?"

"I've already made inquiries of the Compact bearers… Especially that Astaroth and his fellows…"

"They were behind this?" Koneko asked, brow raised.

"They suggested her, as I'm told," Rias said. "Though, to what end, I do not know…" She shook her head. "Regardless of whatever plot they've got brewing, I would still have them take responsibility for their candidate. Even if they end up sending spies or literal monkeys…"

Koneko frowned. She knew there was a plot afoot, she could literally smell it in the air; but she literally had no stomach for it, nor the patience. Especially when it had nothing to do with her. That was more her sister's strength, who was more skilled in subterfuge and deception.

"Hey, you think I could take tonight off?" she said suddenly. She looked straight into Rias' eyes. They shared a look of understanding. Obviously all the wives who were in on the "Arrangement", as it was called, were well aware of the façade, and of the need to maintain it. They would protect and cover for their fellow wives who indulged in the carnal pleasure, with the stipulation that they would do the same in reciprocation. And most of all, the secret had to be maintained, no matter what, or everyone would fall.

"Do try to be discreet," Rias said dismissively, as if such a thing was beneath her. Koneko resisted the urge to get up and laugh in her face; for she knew the harem head greatly enjoyed the Arrangement and always wanted to do it when she could. But she knew the woman had recently taken her detour to the mortal world, and she was well within her rights to call her out on it.

Instead, Koneko rose and bowed.

"I always do my best."

"Why did you bring her to me?" Issei asked.

"We hoped she would be… better suited to bear your young," said the voice.

"I tire of these games," he snapped.

"You are obligated to continue your race, sir Dragon," came another voice.

"It is, and always has been, an impossible task!" he roared.

"Give her a try," said the first voice. "Just this once, as you'd done before. Do this as a favor to us. If she fails, as the others did, then we shall make a vow never to bother you with it again."

"Why go to these lengths?" he rumbled. "If you want my body, or my powers, then kill me and be done with it!"

There was a pause, as if the voices on the other side was thinking. Then, a chorus of voices came.

"We are not fiends, my dear Dragon."

"We merely wish to preserve a state of balance."

"A clean slate."

"A fresh start."

"A new beginning."

"You owe it to those who came before."

"I owe nothing to NO ONE," Issei declared, and dismissed the connection. He grunted, feeling a surge of anger coursing through him. In this frame, it was dangerous, as he could obliterate the whole Palace, the city outside, and everyone within it, if he just let it go.

And a small voice inside did tell him, why not? Let go of fear, of anger, of the need to appease his purported masters. Let all fear the one who inherited the power of the Alien God, incarnated in the flesh of a mighty Dragon. He could certainly do it, and he knew there were many who would join him, just to exult in bringing chaos to the world.

But above all, Issei was a big softie, though he would never admit that. And he cared, in a way, for his "wives". They were like his family now, though he knew they would never think of it that way. Every wife who left his harem or entered it as a new wife was someone he would always remember for the rest of his life, even if they never spoke a single word to each other. He owed it to those who had departed after a long life of enduring him, and to those new ones offered up to him like sacrificial lambs.

Gloomily, he returned to the top of his tower. He looked down and wondered how the human was doing. Apparently she was "special" in some way, but he wouldn't dare exploit that fact. Not even for the prospect of reviving his dead race.

"You seem upset, my lord," said the magician, upon his return.

"You can say that again," he said.

"Then allow me to relieve you," she replied. "With the gift of a song, and another dream to remember."

"Oh, peddler of dreams, answer me this," Issei said. "How much would it cost to make it a reality?"

The magician cocked her head. "It would cost more than you're willing to give up, my lord. It would cost you everything."

Apocrypha version (mature content) below

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