Dungeons and Devils (Chapter 5) (Patreon)

I let out a small yawn as I sit on a large comfortable chair in my foyer.

Ahh... what a nice day.

I take a quiet sip from my drink as I look over my tablet.

It has been about a month since I have come to this world...

Most of it spent in this mansion tinkering away.

I really should go out more...

I go out some, sure, but I haven’t made any contacts beyond the Sitri during this month.

I really should, but... it just seems like a waste of time.

The only ones I would ever consider meeting at the moment would be the Gremorys based on my one good interaction with Rias... I don't really know all that many clan heirs... Sairaorg Bael is someone I could definitely meet... he seems like a nice guy, but I don't exactly know how to go about it.

The Agares clan heir is just so... intense... just a far more intense Sona, and, well, I could probably meet the Sitri clan heir fairly easily.

the Astaroth clan heir is a fucking douche who threatens the balance of the factions- Mental note: I am a devil now. Get evidence the he is doing that then turn it over to Serafall so I don't get drawn into another war.

A quest has been received:

Karmic Realignment:
Diodora has been causing nuns and women of the church to be excommunicated for years now! And what's worse, he forces them to join his peerage and does dastardly deeds to them on the regular! It's time someone step in and save these poor women and put the bastard in his place.

Objective:
Gain Evidence of Diodora's misdeeds: [ ]
Turn said evidence over to Serafall: [ ]

Rewards: ?

"Hm. Alright." I mutter quietly.

A hold out a hand and create a magic circle that summons seemingly nothing.

There is a loud thump on my table.

I cast 'see invisibility' and cringe at what I see.

It's a centaur-like insect who's back half is a fly and the front half is a baby...

Large souless eyes that look much like a fly's stare at me unblinkingly.

I let out a sigh and grab a small hand-held camcorder from a cabinet nearby.

"Maaaassstttrrrr" it's shrill voice echoes in my mind.

I respond mentally in infernal, a language it easily understands.

'your job is to take this.'

I give the baby the camera, it takes both hands to hold it, yet luckily there is a strap.

I pull out a map of the underworld.

'And you will spy on the devil known as Diodora Astaroth, who lives here.' I point to a place on the map.

I show the demonic creature a picture of the devil.

'Diodora is a young man, the heir of the Astaroth family, you are going to follow him and record him with this device while being invisible. If you ever get discovered, you are going to teleport into the sun. After thirteen hours without you being discovered, you are going to return here with your teleportation ability. And please tell me if he reincarnates anyone into a devil.'

"Yeeeeeesss master." It hisses, its mouth full of needle-like teeth and with four large mandibles just behind the lips.

It disappears from my vision as it teleports away.

"Well, that's one issue solved."

I look back to my laptop. I have been looking over my 'generation' quite a bit with it, and as I know Serafall is overlooking it, it gives me an excuse to look into the sadistic bastard.

I go to Diodora's page and silently look over his peerage.

He has quite a few, it's not completely full like in canon, he's missing several pawns, a rook, a knight, and a bishop.

If I could catch him in the act... I could practically negate... what was it, season three of DXD or something? A major sub plot in DXD at the very least.

I feel something pass through the zone that alerts me of stuff and let out a low hum

"Hn? That's smaller than normal..."

Not Serafall, that's for sure, it's actually about cat sized.

*Knock Knock Knock*

The door is opened by my command as a... bat... flutters into the room?

It's not a normal bat, though, it's more of a large sphere with pointed ears, an imp tail, and strange little thin legs and feet.

It suddenly transforms into a brown haired woman with dark brown eyes, in its hands in a letter with a wax seal.

"This is a letter from my master, Mistress Gremory."

"Lady or heiress?" I blink.

"Rias." It answers as I take the letter.

It turns around then with a poof it returns to its bat form and flies away.

"…"

"I should get a familiar." I note as the door shuts behind it.

I look to the letter and quietly open it.

Hm? What's this?

An invitation?

"Greetings Lord Decarabia, you might not remember me, but I am Rias Gremory, the Heiress of the Gremory family. I have still not forgotten what you have done for me and I had wished you would come to my 14th birthday party this coming Friday. I understand if you are unable to make it, being the lord of your house and all, but I would be overjoyed if you would. Please consider it. On the back of this letter is a magic circle that will teleport you to the Venue, it will be activated sometime after mid-day. I hope to see you there.

-Rias Gremory"

"Hm." I hum.

What are the chances that if I go to this, Riser shows up and causes a scene which inevitably ends in a duel between myself and him with Rias' engagement on the line?

Higher than zero percent... probably even higher than one percent. Ugh.

The main problem is that I don't know if I could beat him as I am right now... I mean, I have third level spells, sure, but he has regeneration just like me.

A quest has been received:

Forming Connections 2:
Rias Gremory has sent you an invitation to her birthday party! It would be rude to decline it, no? Why not use this opportunity to forge bonds with the heirs and heiresses that will be there?

Objective:  
Go to Rias' Party: []

Rewards: ?

I look down to the floor in front of me, a faded magic circle sits there.

I could go fairly easily, and with my new teleportation magic, I could return home whenever I want.

Circle Teleport:
You have the ability to create a magic circle which lowers the level of spell required to use teleportation effects. This typically requires magical chalks to create, worth roughly 10000 Gold for a circle that reduces it by 1 spell level, and 50000 Gold for a circle that reduces it by 2, 250000 for a circle that reduces it by 3, and so forth. Additionally, a teleportation spell with a magic circle as the target has no chance of failing or for you arriving off target.  
Note: Due to the world you are in and the race you are, you may trigger a teleportation circle with your demonic magic even if you do not have the ability to cast fifth level spells by simply spending 5 Demonic Power.

That was quite expensive, five hundred electrum despite the fact that it was apparently discounted.

Who knows how much it was discounted by, but spell alterations like this typically cost anywhere from one thousand electrum to twenty thousand, but from the general effect, it seems more on the low side of that.

I cup my chin and let out a low hum, looking to the invitation.

'should I?'

The potential of meeting Riser is high, and that may just ruin some of my plans. The fact the Phenex family hasn't reached out yet means that they seem to have forgotten about me completely.

That's good. That's really good. With them forgetting about me I can actually make the argument that I am still engaged to Lady Phenex so I could make a claim that a large portion of the wealth in the Phenex household is mine.

If Riser finds me, tells mother dearest or daddy dearest, and they remember? They might remember that they didn't cancel a certain something... then there you go, my dreams of utterly crushing them beneath my boot goes up in flames. I'll still be able to bring them to court for the broken law, and get some minor recompense, but definitely not as much as I would have if I remained lady Phenex's 'fiancé'.

But on the other hand?

If I go, I get to make connections with all of Rias' friends... I will deepen my ties to Rias and Sona- the latter whom'st hasn't even met me- who knows which of Rias' friends were never seen in the anime, I'm fairly certain she has more than Sona, she has that 'popular girl' look to her.

Realistically, the right choice would be to go.

The last time I met Rias, the quest I got for saving Koneko gave me one thousand electrum.

I rub my temples as I look to a fairly substantial stack of paperwork.

Let's see, I've got to finish this, then I'd like to work on that new sword I'm making... her party is in two days, so if I try hard enough, realistically I should be able to finish the blade before then.

This month's undertaking... making a plus ten sword from scratch, the blade itself is done, now I just need to finish enchantments.

It's definitely a horrifying blade... that's for sure... a real 'devil murdering' weapon.

Honestly, it's an 'everything' murdering weapon.

Just really good at murdering devils.

Just in case.

If it came down to it, I bet it could even give someone of Serafall level strength a good spook- as the blade ignores anything nonliving... making armor, defensive magic, and shields useless against it- but I doubt it will come to that, nor do I think she's the type to betray me like that as long as I don't make any idiotic decisions, as long as I continue moving on the path to benefiting the underworld as a whole, I'll continue to gain her support, and due to my Sona-like appearance she already likes me so she wouldn't try anything too crazy.

I let out a low click as I look towards the papers. 'I should probably get to work on those... ugh.'

**Linebreak**

I brush a hand down my ash covered shirt as I look to the sword hilt in my grasp.

Just an elaborate T shaped piece of metal. A hilt and a handguard.

I clench my fist and narrow my eyes, causing a rolling aura of red light, vaguely shaped like a sword to sprout from the hilt. It stabilizes a moment later into a sharp looking blade of red light.

"Wonderful."

+5 Adamantine, Impervious, Devil Bane, Brilliant Energy Longsword:
A blade forged by the Heir of Malthus, his greatest work yet, it is said to ignore any and all non-living materials, making traditional armor completely and totally worthless against it, the downside is that this blade cannot harm undead or any creatures who aren't 'alive'. It is treated as a +7 weapon when its foe is a devil, dealing an additional 2d6 Damage to them.
Hardness: 40
Health: 140
Weight: 3 Lbs
Damage: 1d8+5(+2+2d6)
Crit Range: 19-20.

Those last two lines are utterly worthless.

There's no such thing as crit ranges, and no such thing as damage dice.

I nod slowly in acceptance of the blade- whomst I will absolutely be renaming later because of how utterly ridiculous said name is- anyways, this blade is my secret weapon. It'll remain a secret just in case my actions with the Glasya-Labolas guy backfire and I get some murderous bastards sent after me.

He's not the heir, strangely enough... you'd think someone with that much arrogance would be actually important. And not some second son nobody.

I mean, if you think about it, isn't Riser also a second son nobody? Except he is a third son...

He gets a pass because his clan trait is better than Glasya-Labolas though. shields versus immortality, pyrokinesis, areokinesis, AND Phoenix tears? Yeah, some people win the genetic lottery.

At the very least I can respect Riser for being respectful to people stronger than him, what's his face had no respect and was very thug like.

I look to my watch.

Rias' party will start in around thirty minutes.

That'll give me some time to wash up, pick out some clothes, and take stock of the materials for my next project.

I wave a hand, my grey-ish shirt turning into a white dressshirt as the soot is removed.

Wash up? Done. prestidigitation is by far the best level zero spell and I adore it. Cleaning, coloring, heat stuff up or cool it, and it can even flavor stuff!

Pick out clothes? I've got some decent clothes in my closet.

Take stock of materials?

I've had to spend quite a bit, to finish off the material cost of my sword, but I've still got quite a bit.

Current Electrum: 734

It's... roughly... enough for my initial building blocks of my next plan.

A secret room Serafall doesn't know about.

Showing her the location of my level one potion devices was sort of a power move. Fairly harmless as I plan to only have weak healing alchemy machines below my house, on the other hand, this OTHER secret room I have planned is going to be several hundred feet underground, air refreshed with a bottle of air, and only accessible through a teleportation circle.

I plan to have a toggle-able anti-magic shield around the room as well, which I will get around via a certain item I'll have in there called a Ring gate.

They're basically portals.

I can currently build the room and make the teleportation circle, yet I don't have enough for refreshing oxygen and anti-magic walls.

This room is going to be the place I produce the STRONG potions. Cure moderate and serious wounds potions, hell, even fertility potions eventually... but not a lot of those, I need to control the market with those because each and every one is a guaranteed heir. They'll lose their value if I make hundreds a month... they need to be... special.

But first I'll get level seven.

Or should I?

There are three things I really need to buy right now, first is levels. The next is that new secret room. Finally the thing that LEGITIMATELY makes me the most important man in the underworld.

Spend money on small things, or save up for the biggest thing.

Hmmm...

How about I save up for the big thing and spend the electrum on a level up if I need it.

The sooner I get access to the conception spell, the sooner I can fuck over the Phenex family.

I get up, shunting my new unnamed blade into my storage magic.

Welp. Let me go pick out something to wear.

I really should get a to-do list.

WAIT! SHIT! I need to get Rias a birthday present.

Uhhhh... fuck. Shit. Son of a bitch.

What the hell do I get this Otaku?

**Linebreak**

With a dull flash I am yanked through reality, I disappear in one place and reappear elsewhere, the letter in my hand glowing brightly for a moment before the sigil on the back fades completely.

I blink the spots out of my eyes as I brush a hand down my shirt.

Teleportation is jarring as always.

I look around slowly, nobody is here?

I might be ten minutes late, but for nobody to be here.

A pair of blue eyes peers out from the window of the building in front of me.

The double door to the left opens up moments after that revealing Rias Gremory in a sparkly dress that stops just above the knees. "Lord Decarabia, you came."

"Sorry I am late; I had a couple last minute things to take care of." I state with a small smile.

The invitation disappears into my storage magic as I look to the wrapped present in my other hand and hold my arm out towards her. "Sorry if your gift isn't exactly to your standards, I didn't exactly have enough time to pick one out for you, nor do I know you well enough to know what you might have liked, but I believe this would be an acceptable gift."

"No, this is no fault of your own, I should have sent the invitation sooner." The girl states. "I am pleased that you took time to see me. I believe I still have not repaid you for protecting my dear rook, Koneko."

I give her a small smile. "And I believe I said for you not to worry about it. And please, Call me Gaius."

She takes the gift and looks at the wrapping paper, the box is about six inches tall, eight wide, and six thick. "Only if you call me Rias."

I look past her to see her a couple girls, the first, a short black haired girl with purple eyes and pinkish rimmed glasses, she wears a simple black dress, a little bland to be honest, the next is another girl with glasses, she has piercing red eyes and long green-ish hair, the final one is a girl with blonde hair with blue tips, she wears a small miniature top hat headband and a red dress that has several golden accents.

Rias looks down to her gift and quickly rushes back to her friends with a smile as I follow behind, they all seem to fawn over it for a moment before they take it to a nearby table.

"Ah, another guest."

I look over to a man with long red hair and a goatee as he calmly walks up to me.

"Lord Gremory." I smile with a small nod.

"I am quite familiar with all of Rias' friends... but you are new... might I have your name?" He asks.

"I am Gaius Decarabia, Lord of the Decarabia family."

"Decarabia?" The man asks with a small glimmer of recollection in his eye. "Well now... that's certainly a name I haven't heard in a long time."

"Our family has had a few troubles over the past... five hundred years." I nod.

"You could call it that." The man nods as we both glance over to Rias as she tears the wrapping paper off her gift.

She looks inside, taking out two golden lion figurines the size of an action figure and a card.

She blinks slowly and begins reading the card.

"Treasure, hn? Well, that's a fairly decent gift." Zeoticus Gremory notes. "She can trade it for whatever she wants."

"It's not treasure." I state with a small smirk as I watch Rias' eyes widen, apparently reading the note.

"Hn?"

She picks up one of the lion statuettes and holds it out. "Transform!"

The figurine flies from her hand and begins growing... and growing... and growing.

Eventually a lion made of pure gold stands before her and does a menacing roar, its ruby like eyes peering around the room.

It locks eyes with Rias as she points down at the floor, it promptly lays down and looks back up at her, her hands quivering with excitement.

"That... is my gift." I state with a small prideful smile.