In the silence of the Occult Research Club building, the atmosphere felt charged. Despite being the headquarters of Rias Gremory's peerage, that afternoon felt like a battlefield without swords.
Rias was sitting by the window, her gaze lost among the rays of light filtering through the stained glass. Her brow was slightly furrowed, and an expression of frustration crossed her beautiful face.
Sona Sitri, seated on the other side of the desk, maintained her composure as always, but her words were firm.
"So... it's official. I will become engaged to Daniel. Although he doesn't know it yet, I intend to tell him soon, and I will do it in front of his girlfriends. I don't want them to think this is something hidden or planned behind their backs."
Rias turned her gaze towards her, her blue eyes showing a mix of resignation and melancholy.
"You're lucky, Sona. You at least get to choose..." she replied with a sigh.
The Gremory heir clenched her fists softly. Her engagement to Riser Phenex still bound her to a cage she did not desire. Ever since the battle against Nyx, her feelings for Daniel had begun to grow unexpectedly.
He had saved the world.
He had risked his life for everyone.
And yet, he belonged to no one but his own choices.
Rias wanted to offer him freedom, but she also wanted him by her side.
"If you are already his fiancée... then that complicates things for me," she finally said quietly. "I won't be able to ask him to join my peerage. Although he would be a great help in combat and training, the political implications would be seen as a provocation."
Sona crossed her legs elegantly and nodded slowly.
"I know... and precisely because of that, I want everything to be transparent. I know many want him, and I don't mind sharing, but I also won't allow him to be taken away from me without a fight. I will talk to him when he's ready and with all the girls present. They deserve it."
Rias fell silent for a moment, then rose from her seat and walked towards the exit. But before leaving, she stopped and looked at her lifelong friend.
"Good luck, Sona. I hope he can reciprocate your feelings."
"Thank you. And Rias..." Sona made a small pause. "When you defeat Riser and are free, you'll be able to fight for what you want too. Including him."
Rias offered a sad, but genuine, smile and nodded one last time before leaving the room, leaving Sona alone with her thoughts.
Breakfast was proceeding like any other day at Daniel's new mansion: the aroma of freshly cooked rice, the morning energy of the girls setting the table, and Daniel trying to help Reynare in the kitchen without dropping anything. Everything seemed peaceful... until the doorbell rang.
Upon opening the door, Daniel found Sona Sitri, student council president, impeccable as always and with a serious expression.
"Good morning, Daniel. May I come in? I want to talk to you and your... companions, about an important matter."
Daniel blinked a few times, surprised, but stepped aside.
"Of course. Come in..."
Upon reaching the dining room, Daniel's girlfriends stopped their chatter to look at the visitor. Sona positioned herself at the head of the table with her typical firm and elegant posture. The girls exchanged glances, already sensing something serious was about to be said.
Sona took a deep breath.
"What I'm about to say is important. And I'll do it openly, with everyone present, as is proper."
Daniel tilted his head slightly, confused. The girls tensed up a little.
Sona lowered her gaze for a moment... and then dropped the truth:
"Daniel... you are my fiancé."
A mental explosion of 'Huh?!' shook the table.
Before any of the girls could stand up or say anything, Sona calmly raised a hand and continued:
"It's not due to a family pact or anything arranged. It's something I established myself: a while ago, I decided that the man who could defeat me in a game of chess without cheating... would be my ideal candidate for a husband."
The silence was absolute.
Daniel recoiled slightly, confused.
"Ch... chess? You mean that game we played?"
Sona nodded, somewhat blushing.
"That very one. You beat me in 43 moves. I... had never lost. It was the only time someone did it without an advantage, without preparation... and without even knowing they were competing for my heart."
Daniel brought a hand to his head, sweating.
"Wait, *that* game counted for something so serious?!"
Alya raised an eyebrow with an ironic smile.
Tamamo crossed her arms, sighing.
Hikari and Hibiki were dumbfounded.
Reynare murmured: "I should have known... this smells of noble demon stuff..."
Sona kept her gaze fixed on all of them.
"I didn't come to claim anything, nor to demand a place. I just want you to know that I am falling in love with Daniel. It's not just because of the chess game... it's because of what he's done, how he fights, how he cares for all of you. And yes, I plan to stay by his side if he allows me. But I am also willing to earn the respect of each and every one of you."
Tamamo narrowed her eyes.
"So, all because of a chess game... wow."
Alya snorted, amused.
"Well, at least it wasn't due to a mistranslated demonic contract."
The girls looked at each other... and although surprise still hung in the air, the tension began to ease.
Hibiki was the first to speak softly.
"If you truly mean it... and you're willing to fight for him—without taking away what we have—then... we'll accept you. With reservations, of course."
Sona nodded with complete seriousness.
"I understand. I don't ask to be accepted immediately. I only ask for the chance to prove my feelings."
Daniel, meanwhile, didn't know whether to laugh, sweat, or ask if chess was banned from now on.
An anime-style sweatdrop rolled down his cheek.
*Does everything I do end up with more women...?*
After having openly declared her intentions and having been accepted—though with certain reservations—by the other girls, Sona Sitri, heiress of the House of Sitri and student council president, sat next to Daniel in the backyard garden of the mansion. The atmosphere was calm, with a soft breeze moving their hair as the tea Tamamo had prepared steamed in their cups.
The other girls, who on another occasion would have formed a human wall between any newcomer and their beloved, this time stayed inside, watching from the windows... and sighing.
"I can't believe it..." murmured Hibiki, eating a dango while watching.
"She's being sincere..." said Hikari, arms crossed.
"Do we allow this one?" asked Alya, to which Tamamo nodded with her eyes closed.
"Just this one."
Meanwhile, Daniel was clearly nervous, a bead of sweat running down his forehead. Having Sona right next to him, relaxed and with a small smile as they talked about everyday things, had him off-balance.
"You don't have to force yourself into anything, Daniel," said Sona, her voice serene. "I know this was sudden... but I just wanted you to know that what I feel for you is real. I want to know you, not just as a warrior, but as a person."
Daniel looked at her, swallowing.
"I... I know. It's just that... this is getting a little out of control..."
Sona raised an amused eyebrow.
"Are you referring to your growing group of admirers or to the fact you might break King Solomon's record?"
"Both!" Daniel replied without thinking, making Sona let out a light chuckle, lighter than usual for her.
"Don't worry. Unlike other noble demons, I don't see you as a tool for political power. I see you as you. A man who faced Nyx and saved the world, but who also cooks, does laundry, and tries to keep a group of very intense girls at bay."
Daniel laughed nervously, scratching his head.
"What a way to summarize my life..."
Sona looked at him more tenderly.
"I don't want to pressure you, Daniel. If at any point you decide you can't accept my feelings... I'll understand. But I wanted you to know they are real. And if you let me, I want to compete for your heart with the others."
There was a comfortable silence between them. Daniel lowered his gaze and then sighed.
"It would be cruel of me to tell you no... knowing that if I did, they'd push you to marry someone you don't even want. And I'm not that kind of person. Besides... you were also there through all this chaos. You fought. You worried. You defended me. I can't pretend I don't feel something for you, even if I don't know what it is yet."
Sona blushed slightly but didn't look away.
"So... can I stay by your side and discover it with you?"
Daniel nodded slowly, letting a small smile cross his face.
"Yes... stay."
The girls, who were still spying, sighed.
"One more..." murmured Reynare, resigned.
"One more who will fight for him..." added Tamamo, accepting the new dynamic.
"Do you think all of us will fit in his bed someday?" asked Alya in a teasing tone, making several of them blush and shout "Alya!!" in unison.
Meanwhile, in the garden, Sona and Daniel continued talking, laughing, getting to know each other. And although Daniel knew his life would be even more complicated, he also knew his heart... was opening up.
And deep in his soul, Ddraig murmured in his consciousness:
"I told you, partner... this is only going to keep growing. I hope you're ready for the true final boss: love."
Daniel sighed.
"Ddraig... shut up and let me enjoy the moment."
The rest of the day passed almost in a sigh. Sona and Daniel, after their morning conversation and being honest with each other, now spoke with a naturalness that made it seem they had known each other for years. Between laughs and chats, Sona made subtle but clear advances: she intertwined her fingers with Daniel's as they walked through the mansion garden, leaned her head on his shoulder while they chatted under the shade of a tree, and told him about her childhood with Serafall, her personal tastes, dreams, fears, and her expectations of being with someone like him.
"I'd like to have dates with you. Not just to get to know each other better... but because, as cheesy as it sounds, I want to truly fall in love with you, Daniel," said Sona with a small smile, her eyes reflecting pure honesty.
Daniel couldn't help but blush. He had already reached the point where every time he was left alone with a girl, something happened... and the worst, or perhaps the best, was that they were all beautiful, powerful, and very determined women.
From the second-floor window, Tamamo, Sakura, and Alya watched with looks full of contained jealousy.
"How is it that in just one day they already look like a couple?" murmured Sakura, gripping the curtain with both hands.
"This is unfair! It took me weeks for him to take me seriously!" grumbled Alya, puffing out her cheeks.
"I told you... leaving him alone with any woman for more than an hour is emotional suicide for us," sighed Tamamo, though her tone was more resigned than angry.
The day slowly faded. When the sky was already tinged with oranges and purples, Sona rose from the sofa in the main living room, where she and Daniel were sharing one last cup of tea.
"It was an... interesting day," she said, smiling calmly while looking him straight in the eyes.
Daniel nodded, though somewhat nervous.
"Yes... much calmer than I expected, considering everything that's happened lately."
Sona approached, and without giving anyone a chance to interrupt, she kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you for giving me the chance to be with you," she whispered near his ear, sending an electric current down Daniel's spine.
Then she pulled back just a little, and in her more formal tone added:
"By the way... Serafall wants to see you. She wants to talk to you about the... engagement."
Daniel's soul almost left his body that instant.
"With Serafall?!" he exclaimed, paling. "Your sister, the Maou... with a little sister complex and hyperactive energy?"
Sona laughed, elegantly bringing a hand to her lips.
"That very one. And yes, you'll be alone with her. Don't worry... I don't think she'll hug you until you pass out from lack of oxygen... probably."
"That does NOT help..." murmured Daniel, feeling cold sweat run down his neck.
Amused, Sona gave him one last charming look and, before leaving, winked at him.
"Good luck, Daniel. You're going to need it."
And with that, Sona disappeared in a blue magic circle, leaving behind a frozen, pale Daniel... and all the girls behind him, looking at him with "we warned you" faces.
Tamamo was the first to speak.
"You know what, Daniel? We'll prepare a very special tea for when you come back alive."
"Alive? That's *if* he survives!" added Alya dramatically.
"We can place bets. How long will he last before Serafall tries to call him 'oniichan'?" asked Hikari with a serious tone.
And so, with his heart pounding more from anxiety than romance, Daniel mentally prepared himself for the interview with Serafall Leviathan, the most explosive sister in the Underworld.
It was a quiet day. Daniel, now almost fully recovered, was having lunch at the enormous dining table along with several of his girlfriends, who were gently fighting to serve him more food, stroke his hair, or simply stay seated next to him. Everything seemed calm, too calm...
Until a multicolored magic circle suddenly appeared in the middle of the hall, and an energetic, sing-song voice boomed:
—
"Justice has arrived~! I am Levia-tan, the magical girl who fights for love, peace, and happy sisters! Pyon~!"
—
Out of the light came none other than Serafall Leviathan, Maou of the Underworld, in her characteristic magical girl outfit: a mix of pink and violet colors with a star-tipped wand in hand. Her radiant smile shone brighter than her costume.
The entire table fell into absolute silence for a moment. Only the dramatic drip of sweat rolling down Daniel's and all his girlfriends' temples, anime-style, could be heard.
"...S-serafall-san..." murmured Daniel, visibly uncomfortable with the spectacle, while Tamamo covered her face, Alya whispered "this can't be real," and Sakura feared for the future of the world's political balance.
Serafall completely ignored their reactions and spun around twice as if in the middle of a show.
"Nyan~! I officially introduce myself, Levia-tan on duty... though I also answer to Serafall Leviathan, Maou of the Underworld and big sister of Sona-chan~"
She made a gesture with her wand that shot magical glitter to the ceiling. No one knew whether to laugh, cry, or hide under the table.
After a few seconds, Serafall lowered her playful tone and adopted a more elegant and formal posture, though she was still in her magical girl outfit.
"Now that the official introduction is done~ I come to confirm something important~" she said, pointing at **Daniel with an expression mixing tenderness and big sister authority.
"The engagement between Sona and you has been approved by the noble demon houses and the Maou, including me, of course~. Even though you're not a demon, Daniel-kun... your power, your feats... and well, your haremistic charisma!" —she shrugged with a giggle— "made everyone gladly accept."
Daniel almost choked on his rice.
"H-haremistic?!"
Serafall nodded energetically.
"Yes, yes. At this point, no one can deny you're building the most diverse and politically explosive harem in the supernatural world~."
Chuckling, she approached him and became more serious, though her tone remained warm.
"Now, as Sona's big sister, I need to hear something directly from you, Daniel-kun. Will you protect her? Will you make her happy, even if you're surrounded by many other girls?"
Daniel fell silent for a second. All eyes were on him. Then he stood up, took a deep breath, and said sincerely:
"I promise. I will protect her. And I will make sure she is happy, whatever it takes."
Serafall grinned from ear to ear. There was no doubt, her expression was full of approval.
"Yay~! That's what I wanted to hear!"
She lunged at him in an energetic bear hug, which Daniel survived through sheer willpower. His girlfriends were ready to intervene, but seeing it was Serafall... and that it was a sisterly gesture... they held back, just barely.
Then, without warning, Serafall did a flip in the air and landed gracefully on her magic circle.
"Well~ that was all. Sona is in good hands. I leave happy and satisfied, see you later~!"
And with an explosion of lights and a "pyon~", she disappeared.
Daniel fell back into his chair, emotionally exhausted.
"Why do I feel like I survived another war...?"
Tamamo sighed.
"Because, my dear, you just met your future sister-in-law. Welcome officially to demon nobility."
And so, with the engagement officially approved and Serafall's blessing granted, Daniel took another step in his already chaotically loving and politically complicated life.