500 gems = bonus chapter
Advanced chapters at:
patreon.com/posts/eminence-in-dxd-129508530
***
Emeric leaned back on the sofa and sipped his favorite tea with pleasure. Only his favorite maid could make tea like that. No offense to his favorite bishop, but she brewed mostly Japanese varieties, and he was used to drinking buds with a touch of some of Hell's herbs. And such habits could only be known by the one who had cared for him all his conscious life.
Meanwhile, Greyfia, who had teleported to the human world at his sister's behest, was methodically going around the entire club room and periodically checking various surfaces for dust with her snow-white gloves. It was all Greyfia about it. Total professionalism wherever she went. How could she not check on the well-being of her ward while she wasn't around?
And, watching Greyfia frown slightly at moments, Emeric concluded that Akeno had yet to hear another dose of moralizing from the harshest maid in all of Hell.
He'd pray for her, but what a shame, he's a demon.
When she finished her impromptu round, she stood at the side of the coffee table and folded her arms in a "submissive" gesture. That is, she folded her palms on the bottom of her apron. If he didn't start a dialog with her, she would remain standing there waiting for him to finish his tea party. A good servant, she said, should wait for the "master" to get down to business.
Keeping in mind that Greyfia herself had long since become a member of their small family, but she still insisted on playing the maid. Sometimes her tendencies went too far.
Many will think that this dazzling silver-haired beauty is just a "slightly higher ranked" maid. And Emeric will call these people complete idiots! Or suicidal. The difference doesn't matter, the outcome for those morons will be the same. Well, to be fair, only people far removed from the supernatural world would say that.
For, in all of Hell at least, she is known as Greifia Lucifug, his sister's queen, that is, Lucifer herself with the nickname "The Strongest Queen". She is his sister's Queen and in addition to being her secretary, she is also the head maid in the Gremory family.
Greyfia Lucifug is truly the strongest Ferz in all of Hell. It is rumored that at one time, when the New Lords were determining their new leaders, she fought for the title of "Lefiafan" against Serafall Sitri herself, the second strongest woman in Hell, naturally after his sister. She lost that battle, but witnesses say she gave the current Lord of Foreign Affairs a good fight.
The Lucifuge race was not part of the classic seventy-two Pillars of Hell described in the same Little Key of Solomon. They were the so-called Extra Demons. Some upper class families, but not officially in the ruling part of the entire politics of Hell. At the moment, all of the Extra Demons were huddled in very far corners of the Infernal Dimension and trying their best to keep a low profile. No wonder, since most of the Extra Demon families had fought on the side of the Old Lords in the Civil War. Especially the Lucifuge clan!
The Lucifuge clan were one of six special families that served specifically the original Lucifer. They did not participate in the politics of Hell, but always stood by their master's side and served him faithfully. Grayfia was raised from her birth to stand behind the right shoulder of some descendant of the Father of Lies in the future.
Yes, as many could probably guess, Greifia Lucifug, in his distant past, fought against his family and his current king. Which is why, even hundreds of years later, the Great King's Faction, which broke away after the Civil War ended, still cannot fully accept her into "their" ranks. The ranks of the New Order Inferno. Constantly grumbling about it, but shutting up if Aldis walks by somewhere. A great many of them had been cut down by his sister to stop spreading filthy rumors about Greyfia. Then again, discontent still slips in from time to time.
But ever since the New Lords, led by Aldis Gremory, had defeated the Old Lords, Greyfia had served her "king" faithfully. She had never given any reason to doubt herself and, Emeric was sure, was willing to lay down her life for their family.
Greyfia took a very active part in his upbringing and often interfered in his and Aldis' banter. She said that the latter would not simply "spoil" him.
It makes absolutely no sense. He was born spoiled.
«As always, just delicious tea, Greyfia," he set the cup on the saucer.
«Thank you, young master," Greyfia tilted her head slightly.
He wanted to hold back with all his might, he really did! But some things were out of his power.....
«It's like you used the power of time on those herbs," Emeric tried his best to hold back the laughter of his own joke as Greyfia's gaze took on a chilling quality. - Just like Sakuya Izayoi.... Ha ha ha ha...
The young demon couldn't stand it and gave a full-throated laugh, ignoring the plummeting temperature in the room.
Sakuya Izaei, a character from the Japanese Touhou Project games. Fashionable, in recent decades, the subject of countless jokes among all walks of Hell. This character was a silver-haired maid who ran the Scarlet Deviless Mansion. Doesn't that ring a bell?
Apparently some Japanese gamemade somewhere was able to see and be "inspired" by Greyfia to then transfer it all into their game.
There was no telling how many jaws of bold jokers Greyfia had broken in recent years. True, she couldn't do that to the main jokers, who were her immediate superiors. Namely, all four of Satan's. She couldn't "educate" him either, after all, he was her favorite pupil. However, if he got too impudent, she found "other" methods. For example, hours-long lessons in repeating the old traditions of Hell.
«Finished? - She asked Emeric, who was catching his breath. The irritation was so great that she addressed him as "you.
«Uh, yeah... - Emeric tried to adjust his tie, but Greyfia couldn't keep the professional itch at bay and sat down next to him to begin getting his uniform in proper order. - Is my city clean?
«Yes," Grayfia answered him, still keeping her eyes on the mess. - There will be no more surprises in town.....
«So what exactly were the Fallen looking for here? - Emeric asked. Given his famous curiosity, he was used to the family trying to "understate" things.
Grayfia stopped brushing his hair and looked thoughtfully into his eyes. I guess she was thinking about what she could tell him.
«Tell me what you know about Excalibur.
Emeric rolled his eyes. Of course, Greyfia wouldn't be able to contain her inner 'harsh educator'. Even now, she didn't miss the opportunity to put his knowledge to the test.
«Excalibur was one of the four Holy Swords of the Church. Like the other three, it was forged with the help of magic and alchemy by the best experts of antiquity. Considering the fact that such works could never be repeated in our time, we can assume His participation in their creation, but it is not certain. It seems to me that He would have created something of the same caliber over time anyway," Emeric tried to dodge Greyfeye's insistence on wiping away the small spot on his cheek. To no avail. - During the Great War, Excalibur had been destroyed. The Church had preserved its shards and created seven different Excaliburs from them, which could not boast the power of the original, but each possessed one of its abilities...
As he spoke, Greyfia finished tidying up his appearance and somehow very naturally rested her head on his shoulder as he lightly embraced her. A very rare moment of relaxation from the perpetually strict maid.
«Well, pretty much right... - Greyfeye is getting comfortable on it. - Their Excaliburs were recently stolen from the Orthodox and Protestant Church...
«What?" Emeric would have stood up in shock, but the silver-haired wonder was resting there, so he simply limited himself to a surprised tone. - In what way? Four of the six Excalibur were stolen?!
Six Excaliburs were divided between the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Churches. The last and strongest of the swords, the seventh, Excalibur the Ruler, was long ago lost.
«They don't know... - Greyfia shrugged. - The former owners of the Holy Swords were killed, and the remaining Excalibur were left only with the Vatican. There was a lot of suspicion, but after your tip we've already given them, the most suspicious person is Cockabiel.
«Handed over to whom? The church? Did we, uh. - he rolled the words around on his tongue. - Aren't we sworn enemies?
«We've been getting closer lately," Greyfia chuckled lightly and stroked his cheek affectionately. - There's still so much you don't realize...
«Well, I'm sorry to say that I see the struggle between Heaven and Hell as a struggle between... - he hesitated, and then he continued with more confidence. - As between Heaven and Hell. There is literally no more canonical example of the confrontation between two opposites.....
«I'm telling you, you don't-nee-ma-you do... - She stretched out the syllables, touching the tip of his nose lightly with her finger.
«Eh, what can you do," Emeric hugged Greyfia tighter and began to move a little closer to her. - I'm just stupid, incredibly wicked," he spoke more and more softly with each adjective and slowly brought his lips closer to hers, "and a very, very lecherous de....
«Halt," a gloved finger came between their mouths and stopped a potential kiss. Greyfia easily escaped his embrace and began to make her way to the center of the room to move back to Hell. - Young master, I think you should cool down a bit," Greyfia winked at him mischievously.
«Bummer!...! - he muttered to himself, trying to calm the hurricane in his pants. When he realized she wanted to leave, he stopped her. - Greyfia, so what am I supposed to do with this information?
«Mm-hmm... - she turned around. - Not to do anything. This is the Church's and Grigori's problem. The most they'll ask for is access, to your and Sona Sitri's territory to investigate. Please cooperate with them and- - she gave him a stern look in his eyes. - Don't you dare beat any of them up! I know those violent tendencies of yours....
«What-I-it's always... - he fixed his hair, then remembered a few more of his questions. A little tantalizing game with his maid had messed with his mind. - Greyfia, I still don't get it, what were they looking for?
«Right, that's what I forgot... - she muttered to herself. Emeric's chest filled with pride as he realized he wasn't the only one who had lost control. - About ten years ago, a pair of Excalibur wielders had lived in this town for a while. Apparently Cockabiel had sent the fallen to retrieve something from their old base.
«One last thing....! - Emeric approached Greyfia, handing her a silver locket from his pocket. - Are you sure you can remember anything? Look again.
«Mm-mm, no," Grayfia handed the locket back to him, having taken a good look at it before. - It happens all the time, Emeric. The exorcists killed some demon and took his possessions. It's not strange to have some trophies piled up in their old lair....
«And Cleria or D.B.," he looked hopefully into her eyes. - Can't you remember anything?
«No," Grayfia answered him, thinking deeply for a moment. - There aren't many Clerias in the Underworld, and it's even worse with initials," the maid gave him a final kiss on the cheek and winked as she began to disappear into the teleportation circle. - Take care of yourself, my not-so-young master.
«Thank you, Greyfia," Emeric smiled. When the teleportation was almost over, he said a few last words to her. - By the way, I will soon have a Vallian Dragon bearer in my retinue!
«What?!
A shocked Greyfia didn't have time to say anything else and disappeared from the club room.
Emeric watched her disappear with a smile and looked thoughtfully at the locket in his hand.
«Grayfia, maybe your lies would have worked on someone else, but," Emeric opened the locket again to read the inscription. - My Knowledge tells me that you have lied to me most brazenly....
The locket slammed shut with a resounding click.
***
Don't forget to donate gems.
And subscribe at:
patreon.com/FanFictionPremium