The Cloud-Raised Brave Man's Travels

"Ah, it seems I've said too much. Then, Rias, you can just continue playing around with your innocent youthful romance. Then, when Xenovia and the others have their children, you can only hide under the covers and cry, lamenting the regrets of your youth~~"

"Akeno!"

As the person involved, Koya felt that keeping silent was the best option at this time... and Orpheus, who was sitting in Koya's arms, pointed at the steak in front of him and said to Koya.

"hungry!"

Chapter 221: High School DxD: Tripartite Negotiations

Resume update, 4,000 a day——

During the three days when Koya was in a coma, a very important thing happened. Although the demons, angels and fallen angels almost fought again because of Kokabil's actions, it was also because of him that the three parties had a reasonable opportunity to meet. Although this meeting could not bring any benefits to the three tribes, it was a huge breakthrough that the three parties could sit down and talk.

Today happened to be the day for the three-way meeting, held in the faculty conference room of the new Kuou Academy building. Since it was a holiday, the meeting had been scheduled for late at night. According to Grayfia, the leaders of each faction were already waiting in the new building's lounge. A powerful barrier completely enveloped the academy, even more dramatic than Grayfia's own. The three parties had jointly created three layers of barrier, preventing anyone from entering. Of course, no one inside could leave until the meeting was concluded.

The armies of angels, fallen angels, and demons surrounded the barrier from outside. Of course, since it was still daylight, they had all hidden themselves to avoid causing a commotion. However, the atmosphere between the three parties was extremely tense. According to Rias, she had no doubt that if the meeting went wrong, the three parties outside the barrier would immediately engage in fighting.

"Now that you're awake, Koya, do you want to go and see the three-party talks?"

"Me? What position would I have to go there?"

"Have you forgotten the identity of this 'little cutie' you're holding?"

Infinite Dragon Orpheus... As one of the strongest combat forces in the world, she carries a lot of weight. If Koya takes Orpheus to attend the tripartite talks, there will be no problem at all. Even if the three parties are going to sign a contract, Orpheus can serve as a witness. I believe that with the presence of Orpheus as a witness, even if any of the three forces are dissatisfied with the content of the treaty, they will consider what will happen if they offend Orpheus.

"It seems you have already made plans."

"If you hadn't woken up, Asia would have taken Ophis there tonight. However, Asia is my servant now, after all. As a demon, if she took Ophis there, the balance between the three parties would be disrupted. Then, those old nobles in Hell would definitely criticize the outcome of the talks."

"I know, I'll go."

Koya swallowed a piece of steak, drank a sip of Coke and accepted Rias's invitation. After Akeno's "hint", the look in his eyes when he looked at Rias had changed a little, so it was natural for him to agree to his future wife's request.

"Speaking of Xenovia, when will they be back?"

"They will appear as witnesses tonight, but according to the angels, they seem to be performing some kind of ritual."

"Ah."

·Dividing line·

They all seemed to attach great importance to this tripartite meeting. According to Grayfia, all the participants in the meeting were big shots. On the demon side were Demon King Lucifer and Demon King Leviathan, on the angel side were Seraph Michael and Gabriel, and on the fallen angel side were Governor Azazel and White Dragon Emperor Wall-E.

Although Koya was not sensitive to politics, he understood that they were definitely not gathered here because of the little things Kokabil had done. However, all of this had nothing to do with him. He was just a silent witness.

In addition to these big guys, Rias and Student Council President Sona were also in the conference room. They were sitting seriously at a small table next to the conference table, holding pens and notebooks in their hands, and there was also a recorder beside them... It seemed that these two were here to act as temporary clerks, while Grayfia was doing her job as a maid, setting out tea and snacks for the big guys at the conference table, but no one touched these things.

Seeing Koya carrying Orpheus into the conference room, everyone at the table just nodded to him politely, and the atmosphere was quite solemn.

Seeing Koya and Ophis sitting down, Sirzechs spoke.

"Now that everyone is here, I'll first confirm a prerequisite for the meeting. Everyone present is aware of the most important prohibition: [God no longer exists]."

The term "God" has a rather broad scope, but everyone present understood who Sirzechs was referring to—the God of the Bible.

Looking at the calm expressions of Rias and Sona, it was clear that they had probably already heard about this from their older brothers and sisters. As for Koya... since he was not from this world, he did not feel any reality about this news, and Ophis did not care about this matter at all.

"Anyway, I'll just assume that everyone knows this and move on."

After saying this premise, the talks between the three major forces officially began—

The talks went quite smoothly.

"That's it, our angels—"

Michael, who exuded a gentle temperament, spoke first.

"Yes, perhaps this is for the best. If things continue like this, the three major factions will indeed be doomed together—"

Sirzechs agreed.

"But there's no need for us to insist."

Azazel would occasionally say something like this to cool down the situation, but the people present seemed to ignore his presence. Koya felt that the Governor of the Fallen Angels seemed to enjoy deliberately creating this kind of atmosphere.

The demons, angels, and fallen angels were holding a crucial meeting regarding a three-way conflict, but Koya couldn't understand it at all. Fortunately, he didn't have to express any opinions; he was simply there as a mascot, acting as a witness.

Soon the topic came to Kokabila. As an eyewitness and spokesperson, Rias explained clearly to the three parties what happened after Xenovia and the others came to the activity room. The representatives of the three parties were very respectful and did not look down on Rias. Instead, they sat in their seats and listened to her speech seriously. Rias tried her best to remain calm. Although her speech was very comfortable, her hands were still shaking a little.

The thought that her speech might change the course of the meeting made Rias nervous, no matter how bold she was. After all, she was only a newly-adult demon, and being able to remain calm and finish her speech in front of the three leaders was already quite impressive.

After hearing Rias's report, the leaders of each faction sighed, frowned, and smiled—their reactions varied. In reality, the few present had already learned all the details of the incident through their own means over the past three days. Their reactions now weren't due to Rias's account, but rather to their concerns about the future of the three factions after this incident.

"—This is the whole story of what happened to me, Rias Gremory, and my demon companion."

After finishing the report, Sirzechs said, "Thank you for your hard work. Return to your seat."

"Thank you, Rias☆"

Leviathan winked at the president. This was Koya's first time meeting this Demon King; he'd only heard of him from his conversations with Grayfia. But how could one put it? This Demon King's style was completely out of place for this meeting! Her outfit was... quaint, that's the only way to describe her. Amidst the other serious executives, Leviathan seemed completely out of place.

It was precisely for this reason that Koya's attention was mostly focused on Leviathan. Even though Miss Gabriel from the Angels was more beautiful than Leviathan, this second-dimensional creature was just too intriguing...

The three-party talks continued according to the procedure. After Rias took her seat, Sirzechs took the initiative to advance the process. In fact, as the meeting progressed, Sirzechs unknowingly became the leader of this meeting.

"Alright, Azazel. After hearing her report, I'd like to know the Fallen Angel Governor's opinion."

With Sirzechs' question, everyone's attention turned to the black-haired Governor.

Azazel smiled fearlessly and said:

"The previous incident was caused by Kokabil, a cadre of our Fallen Angels' central organization, the Son of God Watchers, who carried out an act alone, concealing it from the other cadres and myself, the Governor-General. We also dispatched the White Dragon Emperor to deal with it. Kokabil was subsequently executed at the organization's military court. He received the punishment of eternal freezing in the lowest level of Hell. He won't be coming. Wasn't all the information about this already written down in the information I sent you a while ago? That's all."

Mr. Michael sighed and said:

"That's the worst explanation possible—but I also know you personally don't want a serious conflict with us. I want to ask you if that's true."

"Yes, I have no interest in war. Kokabil has also criticized me for this. Didn't your report also mention this?"

That's right, Azazel is a dove. He has no interest in fighting and killing. He said that his energy would be better spent on women! Grayfia also said that the reason for Azazel's downfall was because of lust.

Then, His Majesty Sirzechs asked Azazel:

"Azazel, I want to ask you something. Why have you been collecting artifact holders for decades? At first, I thought you were collecting those humans to increase your combat power, perhaps to wage war against the Celestial Realm or us..."

"Indeed, we waited a long time for you to start a war. When we heard that you obtained the White Dragon, we were particularly vigilant."

Michael's opinion seemed to echo Sirzechs's. While the White Dragon King posed little threat to powerful figures like them, he was still a divine destroyer, and his joining the Fallen Angels wasn't a good thing from their perspective. Hearing their opinions, Azazel couldn't help but smile wryly.

"That's for researching artifacts. In that case, would you like me to give you some research materials? Although I'm researching, I don't intend to start a war with them. It's been a while, and I've long lost interest in war. I'm perfectly content with the world as it is. I even specifically told my subordinates not to interfere in human politics. You know? I don't intend to get involved in religion, nor do I intend to influence the demon world. Seriously—it seems my credibility is the worst among the three parties."

"Of course."

"Yes."

"That's right☆"

Sirzechs, Michael, and Leviathan all gave the same answer. Just how untrustworthy is this fallen angel's governor?

Azazel heard their opinions and dug his ears with a bored look on his face.

"Tsk. I thought you were better than God and your predecessor, Lucifer, but you're still a troublesome bunch. Continuing with your secret research doesn't suit my personality. Okay, I get it—how about we make peace? That's what you all meant anyway, right? Both angels and demons?"

Azazel's words shocked all camps.

Although the three parties had already intended this, when Azazel actually said this, everyone present was still stunned. Furthermore, no one had expected Azazel to be the first to make this suggestion, which really disrupted Sirzechs and the others' plans.

Michael from the angel side was the first to react and quickly took over the conversation, continuing what Azazel said. Sirzechs could only smile helplessly and said nothing more.

"Yes, the demons and I had originally intended to propose a peace treaty to the Son of God, the Watcher. If this three-way balance of power continues, it will only harm the world as it is. As the Archangel, it seems inappropriate for me to say such things—but the source of the war, the God and the Demon King, have vanished."

Azazel couldn't help but laugh when he heard what Mr. Michael said:

"Ha! That stubborn Michael actually said something like that. He used to talk about God all the time."

"...Our loss is great. But it's not wise to keep pursuing something that no longer exists. Our mission is to guide humanity, and we will continue to watch over and lead God's people. This is the most important thing. We, the Seraphs, agree."

"Hey, hey, you're going to 'fall' by saying that, right? But—having said that, you're the one who inherits the 'system' now. It's a beautiful world, completely different from when we 'fell'."

Sirzechs expressed the same opinion:

"It's the same for us. In order for the race to survive the Demon King's absence, the demons must move forward. We don't want war either—if war breaks out again, the demons will perish."

Azazel also agreed with His Majesty Sirzechs's statement.

"That's right. If war breaks out again, the three major forces will be destroyed together. And it will have a major impact on the human world, leading to the destruction of the world. We can no longer wage war."

Azazel, who had been frivolous at first, turned serious.

"Do you think a world without God is wrong? Do you think a world without God would decline? Sadly, that's not the case. You and I are living just fine like this now."

Azazel spread his hands:

"—the world will continue to function without God."

With Azazel's words, the meeting reached its climax. The three parties reached a consensus on peace talks, but it was also important to maximize their own interests within the framework of the negotiations. The discussion would then move on to topics such as future combat capabilities. Koya listened briefly, seemingly reviewing current military strength, how to respond to the various factions, and the future power structure.

The tense atmosphere seemed to ease slightly. Perhaps it was because all factions had expressed their desire not to see war break out?

"—So, that's about it, right?"

When Sirzechs spoke, the other important figures all breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the important matters had been discussed.

Koya and Ophis yawned in unison. The meeting lasted for more than an hour, and Koya spent this time looking at Leviathan and Gabriel. Perhaps because his gaze was too direct, Gabriel's face was completely red.

Grayfia brought fresh tea, and this time Michael and the others didn't refuse. They continued talking while drinking their tea, but Azazel suddenly changed the subject and said to Koya and Ophis:

"Well, now that the talks have reached a fairly good conclusion, it's about time we hear Mr. Sekiryuutei's opinion."

Chapter 222 High School DxD: Meeting Trouble

Koya didn't expect that this meeting would also involve his own matters. He was obviously just here to join in the fun, and whether the three parties could hold peace talks actually had no impact on him at all. However, he really had something he wanted to say at this meeting.

"There's actually another person deeply implicated in the Kokabile incident: Lin Fei Phoenix. He provided considerable assistance in Balpa's experiments with the artificial Holy Sword Factor. Orpheus also told me that he seems to have been a member of the Misfortune Group and had also obtained numerous artificial artifacts from the Fallen Angels. Unfortunately, he's now gone, without a trace. Furthermore, I personally have some issues with him, so I hope the three parties can do their best to track down this person."

"This...this kind of information is something we haven't received before. Someone who is involved with various factions and is so ambitious is indeed worthy of vigilance. Thank you for the information, Red Dragon Emperor. We, the Angels, will do our utmost to track down this person."

In fact, Lin Fei is not an important person to the three parties. He can only be regarded as a troublesome villain. He has no sense of presence in this Kokabil incident, but Michael still promised to do his best to track him down. This is the face he gave to Koya.

"Thank you. I have a gift for Mr. Michael. I hope you like it."

Koya pulled a small statue from his personal storage. The craftsmanship wasn't exquisite, and the face was crudely carved, but the sculptor was quite influential. This statuette was a popular artifact and magic item in Orario. It came from the Familia of Yahweh, personally carved and blessed by Yahweh himself. It was said to bring good luck and was the most important source of income for the Familia. Koya had bought it while working as a bricklayer for the Loki Familia, hoping it would bring him good fortune.

Later, when Koya moved out of the abandoned church, he put it in his personal storage and forgot about it. Unexpectedly, it came in handy at this time. Grayfia took the statue from Koya and placed it in front of Michael.

"Ms. Grayfia, did you feel any discomfort when you touched this statue just now?"

"No, it feels a bit warm, just like a hand warmer."

"Incredible, absolutely incredible. Mr. Koya, who created this statue? And who blessed it?"

"Yahweh, I don't know what the name of the God of the Bible in your world is, but in my world he is called Yahweh. Oh... by the way, I'm not from this world."

Michael didn't say much after hearing what Koya said, but everyone present noticed that the archangel, who had always been gentle and calm, was breathing much faster at this moment, but soon his breathing calmed down. He carefully picked up the statue in front of him, handed it to Gabriel beside him, and told her to protect it well. Then he stood up and thanked Koya.

"Mr. Koya, thank you for this gift. As for Lin Fei Phoenix, our angels will definitely do their best to hunt him down. If possible, could you please tell me more about your world master after this meeting?"

"Sure. By the way, Xenovia and Irina will return to my world with me. I'll take them to see Yahweh. If you have any questions or want to convey anything, you can ask them through them. Yahweh has a pretty good temper, and anyone who is one of his followers can basically have a conversation with him."

"That's really... great."

Although he is not the master of his own world, Michael has no intention of bringing back the master of another world, but there are indeed many 'bugs' in the heavenly system now. If these 'bugs' can be solved by another master, it would definitely be great.

Just when Koya and Michael were both satisfied with the results, Orpheus, who had been nestled in Koya's arms, suddenly spoke.

"Why did you exile Asia?"

Everyone present, including Koya, was surprised when they heard Orpheus' voice. They had never expected that Orpheus, who had always been peaceful, would suddenly ask a question for someone. It was obvious that Orpheus had valued his friend Asia over the past three days and was even willing to change his usual indifference and raise this issue at the trilateral meeting.

Asia's faith in God was so unwavering, so why did the church exile her? This was the question Orpheus wanted to ask most. During these three days, Orpheus witnessed the little nun's devout faith. Even as a demon, she still prayed frequently. The result was that she would get a headache every time she didn't pray. Orpheus was puzzled by Asia's reasoning, but Asia didn't give him an answer, simply saying that she was used to praying.

Hearing Ophis' question, Michael responded sincerely:

"Regarding this matter, I can only express my deepest regret... After God's disappearance, only the [System] governing protection, mercy, and miracles remained. Simply put, this system triggers miracles granted by God. God created the system to bring miracles to the earth. The effects of exorcism rituals, holy tools like the cross, all rely on the power of the system."

In the heaven where God is absent, the system takes on the role of God. For example, demons cannot touch the cross, and holy light can hurt demons. These are miracles brought by the system, but now that God is absent, the system has not been "maintained" for a long time.

"The gods are gone, so that... the 'system' has a problem... right?"

Rias continued the conversation. As Asia was her retainer, she naturally cared deeply about her, so even though it might be offensive, she still participated in the conversation.

Michael nodded in response to Rias's guess.

"Honestly, it's difficult for anyone other than God to control the 'system.' Even with the combined strength of all the 'Seraphim' members, with me at the center, we were only able to activate the 'system' with great difficulty... But compared to when God was alive, the protection and mercy bestowed upon those who believe in Him are less comprehensive—unfortunately, the number of people we can redeem is very limited."