Chapter 162: Issei’s Plea

–

"So, how did it go with your overachieving members?"

Erik asked while looking at the image of Azazel that was floating above a magic circle. It had been almost one day since Barakiel was sent by Azazel to call back the Fallen Angels that were in Kuoh and at that same moment, Rias Gremory was explaining the supernatural world to Issei Hyoudou while answering his questions. He had, last night, explained to her and Sona about what was exactly happening. Both Kings had taken the news well but were ashamed that they had not found the Fallen Angels' presence in town early.

*sigh*

Azazel let out a sigh while showing a tired facade through the call.

"Overall? Tiring. The four of them had no idea that they had been sent to a different city from the one that I had ordered. The papers that Kokabiel handed them had Kuoh as the mission's place, and since the papers had come from a high-ranking officer, they had no reason to doubt their veracity. Even if the mission's city was a Devil governed territory."

Azazel replied to Erik, who nodded his head in agreement.

"And had Raynare told you why she choose to kill one of my students?"

Erik asked Azazel, calling Issei Hyoudou his student just because the boy was a student in the school in which he was a teacher, not because he would train the boy. Azazel nodded his head in reply.

"Yes. She decided on her own that the boy could become an enemy of Grigori in the future and decided to take care of him before that while totally disregarding the original orders of her mission about recruiting Sacred Gear users."

Azazel replied to Erik.

"Well, even if she had said Grigori's pitching sale to him and he had accepted, I doubt it would work in the end."

Erik said to Azazel, who had curiosity expressed on his face.

"Oh, really? And why is that?"

Azazel asked Erik.

"Because the boy is the dormant rival to your foster son."

Erik said to Azazel, dropping a bomb on him. Being alive for so long meant that one would eventually see and hear almost everything that there was to see and hear. That would turn life into a boring thing, and bored people tended to do stupid things to relieve their boredom. So, Erik tended to shock these beings from time to time just to spice their long lives a little. It had nothing to do with his 'love' to see their shocked expressions. Not at all. And he had got such reaction from Azazel if his wide-open mouth and eyes were any indication.

"You… You… You mean to say to me that one of my operatives almost killed the Red Dragon Emperor of this generation?"

Azazel asked with some difficulty.

"Yep. But as I said, he is still dormant at this moment. But, I foresee that, soon enough, little Vali will have his rival."

Erik said to Azazel, who let out a groan while predicting trouble shortly. He knew that in the moment that his foster son hears about the Red Dragon, he would go crazy wanting to meet and fight his fated rival. But with the information that he was still dormant, meaning that he was just a normal human, in his hands, Azazel had some wiggle room to talk with the battle-hungry boy. Azazel then looked again at Erik through the projection with a curious look on his face again.

"Erik, why do you say that Vali would soon have his 'fated' rival?"

Azazel asked Erik, who gave the man a small smile.

"The boy is receiving, at this exact moment that we are speaking, the recruitment speech from Sirzechs' little sister."

Erik replied to Azazel, who now had a look of understanding on his face. Rias Gremory's peerage was one of the peerages that had huge potential between the ones in the new generation of Devils. Together with Sona Sitri, and her cousin, Sairaorg Bael, they had the potential to dominate the top ranks of the rating games in the future. But that was before. Now, if the Red Dragon Emperor would join Rias Gremory's peerage, she would have a great chance of becoming the undisputed number one. That is if Diehauser Belial decided to retire from the competition. Azazel, who was lost in his thoughts of possibilities for the future, was shaken from his thoughts by Erik.

"What do you plan to do with the transgressors?"

Erik asked Azazel, making the old Fallen Angel let out a sigh.

*sigh*

"Kokabiel is missing. We have already sent him a call to come back to headquarters immediately. If he does not appears soon, I will have no choice but to tag him as a rogue Fallen Angel."

Azazel said to Erik.

"Now, about Raynare… I don't really know how to deal with her. She is very loyal to Grigori and specifically me, but her hate for humans and the disregard for their lives is what concerns me."

Azazel continued saying to Erik, who nodded his head in understanding of the man's plight.

"Can I suggest a fitting punishment for her and the others who have the same ideals?"

Erik said suddenly to Azazel. The perverted Fallen Angel looked back to Erik through the projection and nodded his head.

"Send her to live between humans while having her powers and habilities sealed. That way she would learn to respect humans a little and be a little more respectful in general."

Erik said to Azazel, who looked interested in the idea.

"The idea has its merits. I will just have to work on something to block their powers."

Azazel replied to Erik while already thinking of a way to achieve the desired effect. Erik would not say, but that idea was not his own. It was something that he had seen Odin do with Thor in an old Marvel movie in his past life.

"Go for sealing arrays. There's a big chance that you will find something useful there."

Erik said to Azazel, who nodded his head. Both men continued to do some small talk for some time until Azazel had to end the call due to his secretary, Penemue, nagging about him skipping work. He had managed to delegate some stuff and start the modernization of the work processes in Grigori by following Erik's advice, but it would take some time until everything could be done more easily, giving him extra time for some leisure. As the call finished, Erik finished with his tasks for the day at school and went home to embrace his family.

–

On the next day, as the classes for the day finished and the clubs' periods started, Erik was inside the teachers' room, filling his classes' diary, when he felt a specific student getting closer. Seconds later, Issei Hyoudou entered the teachers' room. When asked by his homeroom teacher if he wanted some help, the boy replied that he wanted to talk with teacher Ravenclaw. After being guided through the way to Erik, his homeroom teacher left them alone. As the sole male teacher at school, it was not uncommon for other male students to look for teacher Ravenclaw for advice.

"So, how can I help you, Issei Hyoudou?"

Erik asked when they were left alone while turning to face the boy.

"Er… It's about the Occult Research Club, teacher."

Issei Hyoudou replied while looking around to see if there was anyone near them to hear. He had been advised to not spread the existence of the supernatural world since there was a kind of mutual agreement between every pantheon to keep their existence hidden. Erik nodded his head in understanding and snapped his fingers.

*snap*

"You can talk freely now. I had put a privacy barrier around us. No one will hear."

Erik said while pointing at a chair near him, indicating for Issei Hyoudou to take a seat in it. Issei Hyoudou looked at Erik with wide-open eyes.

"Did you just do magic? How come there was no magic circle?"

Issei asked Erik, who let out a small smile at the boy's sudden enthusiasm that followed the shock.

"Take a sit first, Issei Hyoudou."

Erik said again, making the boy look at the chair that Erik had pointed to early. While letting out a sheepish smile, Issei took a seat and looked at Erik, waiting for his answer. Erik chuckled at that but decided to humor the boy.

"I don't know what Rias Gremory told you about me Issei, but in this world, there are two types of humans who can use magic. The first type are the mages, who use magic through magecraft after a lot of studies, hence the presence of a magic circle that contains the formula for the spells. The second type are the wizards and witches, who are born with the gift to use magic naturally and without the need of a magic circle. While the first type can't use the second's magic, the second type can use magecraft if they are dedicated enough to learn it. I am the second type of human, meaning that I am a wizard."

Erik said to Issei, explaining the difference to the boy.

"Cool."

Issei said to Erik while continuing to look at Erik as if waiting for him to do more magic.

"So, what is your question, Issei?"

Erik asked the boy, shaking him out of his thoughts.

"Hehehe, sorry. It is just that all of this is very new to me, and I am still a little…"

Issei said while scratching his cheek with a hand in a sheepish way.

"Overwhelming?"

Erik asked while completing the boy's phrase. Issei nodded his head at that.

"I understand you, Issei. I can't say that I don't know exactly what you are passing by, but I saw it happen with a lot of people. It happened with most of my wives!"

Erik said to the boy, making him snap at Erik and look at him with intensity.

"Teacher. It is true, then?"

Issei asked Erik. The seriousness showing on his face was like they would be talking about something that involved the life and death of someone.

"What 'is true'?"

Erik asked back.

"That you are married to seven women."

Issei asked while still very serious. Some realization then downed into Erik when he linked the boy's question to his dream.

"Ah, that. Yes. I am married to seven women."

Erik replied to Issei, whose eyes went wide at the reply.

"Teacher Ravenclaw. No, Master Ravenclaw. Please, teach me!"

Issei said suddenly with a voice filled with passion after going to his knees on the ground from his seating position. Erik looked at the boy with some amusement in his eyes.

"Hoh? You want me to teach you, uh? What exactly do you want to learn from me, Issei Hyoudou?"

Erik asked the boy while putting on a magnanimous facade to hide some of the amusement that surged in his eyes.

"My dream, for a long time, is to be a Harem King. Please, Master Ravenclaw, teach me how to be one!"

Issei declared to Erik, with passion showing in his voice and eyes. Erik could not hold himself anymore and started to chuckle at the situation, getting a frown from the boy.

"Issei Hyoudou, I can not teach how to be a harem king, because I am not one."

Erik replied to Issei, who had his frown deepened at that reply. Erik, imagining what the boy would say next, made a gesture with his hand to stop him from saying anything.

"What I meant is that I didn't choose to have a Haren, Issei. Actually, it was my first wife's idea for me to get a second one. Then, later, they both convinced me to get third, then a fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh. I just went with the flow."

Erik said to Issei, who was looking at him with eyes that showed only respect and adoration. What Erik was saying was the truth, after all. He would just not tell that the seven were, again, pushing him to get another woman. It was something about him being unsatiable in bed. Yeah, he would definitely not say that to his student.

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