Chapter 128: Xenovia: what's going on?!

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With the tension now diffused, Xuelan mustered the courage to address Issei once more. "I want to apologize for my rude behavior during the Rating Game. I had assumed you were some eccentric pervert."

Issei chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "No worries. I mean, I can be a bit weird, but I try to keep that on the down low," he teased, causing Xuelan's face to flush with embarrassment.

Yubelluna chimed in, remorse evident in her voice. "I'm sorry for burning your uniform. It was uncalled for."

Issei flashed a smirk, his carefree demeanor shining through. "It's all water under the bridge now. Don't sweat it," he reassured her.

Curiosity piqued, Riser directed a question at Issei. "I'm curious, Issei. If you don't believe in politics, why have you aligned yourself with the angels?"

Issei let out a weary sigh, a hint of resignation in his voice. "It's a long story, really. The seraph Gabriel took an interest in my human friends, Irina and Xenovia. They came to this town in search of Excalibur fragments that both the church and the Fallen Angels were after. Gabriel offered to look after all of us, so I kinda went along with it. But I'm not exactly aligned with Heaven as a whole—just Gabriel, personally. She's the one who went ahead and stirred up all that nonsense with the Maou. Technically, I'm still a rogue."

Riser nodded, absorbing the information. "I see. Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised anymore. Unusual circumstances seem to follow you."

Ravel's gaze bore into Issei, her curiosity demanding an answer. "I've heard rumors that you're friends with Lady Serafall Leviathan. Is that actually true?"

Issei's smile widened as he confirmed her suspicions. "Yeah, Serafall and I are friends. It's actually quite amusing—we didn't know each other's true identities when we first met. And believe it or not, we crossed paths at a convention."

Ravel's eyes widened in disbelief. "A convention? You mean... an anime and gaming convention?"

Issei nodded, unapologetic in his response. "Yeah, exactly. I do what I want and like what I like. Anyone who laughs at it can go screw themselves. But don't get me wrong—I'm not trying to be some otaku weirdo. I keep that side of me mostly to myself."

Ravel nodded, a hint of understanding dawning upon her. "Fair enough, I suppose."

Intrigued by Issei's mention of a name during the Rating Game, Xuelan inched closer, her curiosity evident. "You kept calling me something like 'Chun something' during the Rating Game. Was that a reference to some character?"

Issei's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, you've never seen Chun-Li?! You seriously look just like her, except your hair is black instead of brown."

Confusion flickered across Xuelan's face as she responded, "Should I have? Riser-sama recruited me sixty years ago..."

A mischievous grin played on Issei's lips as he pulled out his phone, launching a quick internet search. "Well, this is Chun-Li. You really do resemble her."

Xuelan and the others leaned in, eager to catch a glimpse of the picture on Issei's phone. Xuelan's face flushed with embarrassment as she vehemently shook her head. "I look NOTHING like her!"

Issei burst into laughter, finding amusement in Xuelan's reaction. "Hey, don't take it the wrong way. It's actually a compliment," he reassured her, his laughter echoing through the room.

Riser glanced at the picture briefly, confirming Issei's observation. "I have to agree, Xuelan. You do bear a striking resemblance to Chun-Li."

Issei couldn't help but burst into laughter at the situation. "Well, Riser, looks like you've already got Chun-Li in your peerage," he teased, his amusement evident.

Xuelan's self-consciousness got the best of her, and she shrieked in disbelief, "That girl's legs are way bigger than mine! I don't look that bulky, do I?!"

Issei smirked playfully, shaking his head. "Nah, she's definitely thicker than you. But now you see what I meant, right?"

Isabela, who had been silent until now, chimed in with surprise in her voice. "Wow, Issei, I thought you were just being mean. But she really does bear a striking resemblance to Chun-Li," she commented, shifting her gaze between the picture and Xuelan.

Siris crossed her arms, her tone laced with skepticism. "What's this character even from? Some weird porn game?"

Issei quickly clarified, realizing the potential misunderstanding. "No, it's actually from Street Fighter. But let's not dwell on that anymore. I just found it amusing."

Xuelan blushed with embarrassment as several others in the room acknowledged the resemblance. Ni couldn't resist adding her own input, her voice filled with a playful tone. "Nya, you really do look like her, Xuelan."

Mihae joined in with a calm amusement in her voice. "With slightly bigger legs and lighter hair, the resemblance would be even more uncanny," she remarked.

Marion chimed in, trying to uplift Xuelan's spirits. "You should feel flattered, Xuelan. Chun-Li is a strong and iconic character."

As the various remarks settled, Karlamine took a step closer to Issei and knelt down before him, a gesture of respect. Issei's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he regarded her respectfully. Karlamine spoke with sincerity in her voice, expressing her gratitude, "I, Karlamine, knight of the House of Phenex, offer my sincerest appreciation to you. You have shown great honor and respect towards us and Riser-sama. We are eternally grateful for your hospitality."

Feeling slightly awkward, Issei replied, "Um... thanks, I guess," unsure of how to respond to her chivalrous gesture.

Just as the tension began to dissipate, Xenovia walked into the living room, still dressed in her underwear and a T-shirt, looking groggy. She gazed at Issei curiously, her grogginess quickly fading away upon seeing the presence of the devils. Reacting swiftly, Xenovia pulled out her Excalibur from seemingly nowhere, holding it up defensively. "What's going on?!"

Irina, alerted by the commotion, rushed into the room with her own sword at the ready. Both girls quickly eased their guard when they noticed Issei's calm demeanor. They didn't recognize the devils from the Phenex peerage and stared at them with curiosity.

Karlamine, instinctively reaching for her sword, jumped to her feet. However, she quickly composed herself when she realized that Xenovia and Irina were not dressed conventionally.

Issei took the initiative to explain, hoping to diffuse any tension. "Relax, girls. They're just here to talk to me. These are the devils I fought against in the Rating Game for Gremory," he reassured them.

Xenovia couldn't help but inquire further, her curiosity getting the better of her. "What are they doing here?"

Irina, still cautious, questioned with a hint of hostility, "And why are devils in our presence? What's their purpose?"

Issei clarified the situation, emphasizing their friendship. "I'm not their master. They're just my friends," he clarified, hoping to assuage any concerns.

Ravel, observant as ever, pointed out the obvious, her tone tinged with amusement. "But seriously, why are you two dressed like that?"

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