37 Xenovia and Irina

Riser's Mansion in Kuoh

Riser found himself alone in the training room, a space that had witnessed the intensity of his abilities. The environment was in ruins, marked by blue and red flames that attested to the voracity of the powers he was trying to control.

Dedicating himself tirelessly, Riser spent two consecutive days training his skills. The devastation around him was the visual evidence of his quest for mastery, an attempt to prevent a recurrence of what had happened before. The room, enveloped in magical energy, witnessed his determination, and Riser persisted, seeking not only to strengthen himself physically but also to avoid the mental fatigue that could accompany him if he wasn't adequately prepared.

While Sona was at school and Riser's Peerage roamed the streets of Kuoh to find Xenovia and Irina, Riser remained alone in his home, eagerly awaiting someone to communicate with him about the exorcists' arrival.

Riser Phenex was alone in the training room, a space marked by the intensity of his abilities. The environment was destroyed, witness to the blue and red flames that evidenced the voracity of the powers he was trying to control.

Riser sighed. "Well, I guess with this, I am prepared to face Kokabiel or any other opponent."

His voice echoed in the room, a mix of confidence and determination.

"According to the system, Xenovia and Irina will arrive at any moment." Riser pondered on the imminent arrival of the exorcists.

"In the anime, Xenovia had a simple mind, which would be easy to deal with. But Irina, she's Issei's childhood friend. It will be difficult to prevent Irina and Issei from meeting, so better I act calmly. The simple fact of bringing both of them to my house already changes the plot." Riser considered.

"Later, I can put Xenovia in Sona's Peerage. It would be an interesting strategic move."

City streets of Kuoh

Erza was already bored from searching so much. Until she saw two girls, one with blue hair and the other with orange hair, wearing peculiar clothes compared to the other people on the street. Erza approached them.

"Excuse me, you are exorcists, right?" Erza said confidently.

Xenovia and Irina became cautious. Xenovia, with a serious expression, asked, "Who are you? A devil?"

Erza smiled, affirming, "Yes, I am a devil reincarnated by Riser-sama."

Irina and Xenovia seemed surprised. "Riser-sama? Isn't this Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri's territory?" Xenovia inquired.

Erza confirmed, "You are correct, but Riser-sama is married to Sona."

Xenovia, in a neutral tone, intervened, "That information doesn't matter to me. All I want is to finish the mission given by the church."

Erza, understanding Xenovia's stance, stated, "If you have something to discuss with her, you can follow me to Sona's house."

Irina pondered, "We were going to the school."

Erza smiled, assuring, "No need. Come with me."

Xenovia and Irina exchanged glances, and Irina agreed, "Alright, we'll go with you."

Unbeknownst to the two exorcists, Erza had already conveyed all the events to Riser, strategically aligning with the unfolding events.

Riser's Mansion in Kuoh

In the living room, Riser received Erza's information about the imminent arrival of Xenovia and Irina. His eyes expressed a mixture of anticipation. With a serious expression, he mentally communicated with the members of his Peerage.

"Merlin, Shizuku, all of you come back home. Prepare for the arrival of important guests."

"Yubelluna, before returning home, stop by McDonald's and buy a large quantity of snacks. We have special guests, and I want to ensure we are well-prepared."

A few minutes passed as Riser awaited their arrival. The door opened, revealing Erza, Xenovia, and Irina.

Erza announced, "Riser-sama, these two exorcists want to speak with Sona-sama."

Riser looked at Xenovia and Irina, studying them for a moment before saying, "Please, have a seat."

Xenovia and Irina sat in silence, each maintaining a serious and determined expression.

Erza, after fulfilling her mission, approached Shizuku and Nana, exchanging information about the situation.

Riser, then, looking directly at the exorcists, asked, "So, what do you wish to speak with my wife about?"

Xenovia, maintaining her serious posture, said, "Not only with your wife but with all the devils in this city. I want you all not to interfere with our objective."

Riser, curious, questioned, "May I know what your objective is?"

Xenovia replied firmly, "That's a matter between God and the church."

Riser, in his thoughts, reflected, "They shouldn't tell me about the Holy Swords or something like that."

Directing his gaze to Xenovia, Riser spoke using Haoshoku Haki, "You should speak with more respect to me. I am a pure-blooded Devil, not just any savage. I'll ask one last time, what do you want here?"

Xenovia and Irina were momentarily paralyzed by Riser's imposing presence. Irina was the first to recover, apologizing for their earlier approach and explaining, "Xenovia and I are looking for the Holy Swords that were stolen from the church."

Riser smiled. "It didn't have to be difficult; none of this needed to have happened. Sona will be back home in a few hours, and you can personally speak with her about the details."

Xenovia recovered from the impact of Riser's gaze, while Irina added, "I also wanted to visit a friend of mine in this city."

Riser, now more relaxed, stated, "After talking to Sona, you are free to do as you please."

At that moment, Yubelluna entered the room, bringing a large quantity of snacks. Riser thanked, "Thank you, Yubelluna. Here, you can eat, especially you with the blue hair. You seem pale from hunger."

Xenovia, still somewhat stunned, introduced herself, "My name is Xenovia, and this is Irina."

Xenovia initially considered declining the offer of snacks, maintaining her serious posture. However, as the delicious aroma reached her nostrils, her expression momentarily disarmed, and her mouth involuntarily salivated. The instinctive appetite temporarily suppressed the exorcist's determination.

As minutes passed, Xenovia and Irina began to eat. The silence was broken by the occasional sound of bites and expressions of satisfaction. The bucket of fried chicken, brought by Yubelluna, quickly emptied as everyone enjoyed the meal.

Riser approached Erza and whispered in her ear, "When they finish eating, invite Xenovia to a sword duel."

Erza, with a confident smile, replied, "Yes, Riser-sama."

Xenovia and Irina, unaware of the conversation, exchanged glances and smiles. Riser then looked at Merlin and said, "Fix the training room."

Merlin nodded and headed to the training room, ready to repair the damage caused by Riser's intense training.

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