The moment the hues of sanguine light covered Asia, her body shone as a cocoon enveloped her person.

“Interesting.”

Lucia, looking at the phenomenon, marveled momentarily at the transient sight. The transition from human to that of a reincarnated devil was an internal process when converted via normal evil pieces.

For Basara though, the situation was markedly different.

They weren’t changing the race of the one subjected to the influence of the evil pieces. From what Ajuka said, the result would be a complete and absolute enhancement of all physical and the thaumaturgic parameters so that one would be completely equal to a young dragon with a great potential for unprecedented growth. It was more or less a ticket to unimaginable and variable possibilities.

It had to be said that in their world, the two most absolute beings were respectively the gods and the dragons. [1]

This was an undisputed fact prevalent through the eons. Beings such as Great Red, the True Dragon of Dreams, or Ophis the Dragon God of Infinity stood at the very peak of power. Even the two Heavenly Dragons, when they were alive, were classed in the top 10 most powerful beings in existence at the time.

Before the birth of Sirzechs and Ajuka, the list of the top 10 existences was primarily composed of Gods and Dragons.

Thinking about these facts, Lucia threw an intriguing glance toward Basara. Even though she didn’t know everything about him, she knew that both Sapphire and Jin had hidden a great deal of information about Basara and everything revolving around him.

Still, she didn’t care a great deal about it — a mere passing interest at most. For… she had already made her choice — the decision that would define her future.

“How long do you think the transformation will last?”

Basara asked as he gazed slightly worriedly at the sleeping girl, 

“A few hours? Perhaps all night.”

“I see…”

“By the way, Basara-sama.”

“Yes…”

“Do you want to let me help you with that?”

Lucia pointed towards his pants as she spoke, causing Basara to cough a few times in an awkward fashion, trying his best to hide his shameful condition.

When all was said and done, Basara was also a normal teenage boy, full of raging hormones coursing in his veins. How could it be possible, in any circumstance, for him to have not a shred of reaction while holding a youthful woman as captivating as Asia and in such an erotic situation? He would need to be a eunuch with all of his sexual organs missing to pull off an absurd scenario like that.

Basara wasn't like Asia. While kissing was wonderful, far more wonderful when done with Asia, he couldn't reach climax just through that. He needed a more carnal and thoroughly debauched attention to be able to be brought to the wonderful high he desired.

Thinking about these rather illicit affairs, Basara was about to heavily stammer and reject her bold suggestions but, a sudden thought drumming in his mind made him stop in his tracks and don a serious face as he asked a question to her instead.

“Lucia. Will you also join me in my journey? Will you join my peerage?”

“Basara-sama?”

Basara completely ignored his raging boner and asked with utmost seriousness. 

He knew by now that despite how succubi were depicted in legends, in reality, they weren’t just hedonistic or carnal beings who could think nothing except for who to shag off as their next victim in their path of debauchery and ecstasy.

Lucia, for example, was a woman with clear ideals and goals. If she had tried to seduce Basara all those times, and that she absolutely did, it wasn’t just because she wanted to prank him or that she was influenced by the carnal influences of her race; no, they were her true thoughts and she was absolutely serious when she had elicited those occurrences.

Basara knew for a fact that Lucia had not joined a peerage until now because she was in search of her own master — someone she could wholeheartedly follow. If he had to be completely honest with himself, the mere thought of Lucia belonging to someone else was simply unbearable for him at this point.

It might be male chauvinism talking or a deep desire for control over the life of someone he had already taken in for his own, but all Basara knew was that he did not want to see a day where this stone-faced, callous spoken, and brazen maid would not be with him — not be by his side.

Perhaps... was it because he was still high on hormones from the earlier erotic session with Asia?

Possible...but that was beside the point now.

Basara's bold thoughts irresistibly spilled out of his mouth like a broken dam as he clearly delivered his intentions to Lucia. 

“Will you join me? Or rather… I won't beat around the bush anymore. I want you to join me, Lucia.”

Lucia's cold eyes opened wide in a stupor for a moment before a small smile stretched across her face, giving a different feel to her stone-cold persona.

‘I thought I would have to wait far longer for this to occur.’

Basara continued to surprise her more and more. 

From her understanding of the young man, Basara was a person with very intense desires, but he was also addled with an equally intense reservedness.

However, it seemed that the latest events had sent a heap of pressure on Basara, pushing him to seek even more power and his trauma increased his desire to keep people he loved and cared for close to him. 

Lucia felt a warm feeling welling up in her chest. She could see that Basara was like a lost child that feared losing everything around him like what happened all those years ago.

Approaching him, she hugged him tightly and muttered in a soft gentle tone that Basara never heard her speak, it almost melted his mind and sent shivers through his body.

“It would be my honor to join your peerage...master.”

———

In order to not disturb Asia’s ongoing transformation, both Lucia and Basara walked up to his bedroom.

Retracing all the steps of the ritual, Lucia found herself kneeling in front of Basara while holding his glowing hand.

“Will our difference in power cause a problem?”

Lucia chuckled at Basara's unfounded worries, “Basara-sama, you should know more than anyone else what your true problem is.”

Lucia didn’t delve more into the matter. It should have been indeed hard for a normal high-class devil to bind an ultimate class like her in a peerage. But, in the first place, was Basara a normal high class?

This was a question that didn't need to be posed with how evident the answer was.

Dismissing his worries, Lucia focused once again on the matter at hand.

Finally, the day had come when she would finally join a peerage and be part of a greater whole.

Basara wasn’t the strongest person she knew, he was probably very far from that threshold. He wasn’t the smartest like Ajuka nor was he the funniest like Serafall.

However, Basara had managed to touch a small spot in her heart, a spot she knew that would grow in the times to come and become an irreplaceable part of her life, and she was willing to bet her everything on him.

Was it the best decision?

She didn’t know and had no way to know. She couldn’t see the future after all.

She only knew that she would never regret this decision. She was sure that Basara would live up to her expectations and go farther beyond her imagination.

Furthermore, one small goal she had always hidden in the depths of her heart was the resurgence of the Succubi.

As a mate, Basara had all the qualifications necessary and since he was partially a dragon, there was no fear about his reproduction abilities and the talent of their future children.

Imagining a rosy future where she would hold a bunch of babies, a rare blush formed on her face as her heartbeat accelerated by a great margin.

Finally, lowering her lips, she kissed the back of his hand.

Light flashed and covered them while two pieces floated out of Basara’s body. 

“The Bishop piece and the Rook piece, huh?”

Lucia took a look at those two pieces and commented her inner thoughts.

“While I am not bad at front fights, I am more of a support. A Bishop piece would be more suitable.”

Basara nodded. Lucia’s mastery over space was impressive and the more skilled she was, the better it would be for the people around him once he gets a sizeable bunch to enter his peerage.

Ultimately, one of the most important aspects of battle was to have an avenue for retreating at any given time and a support who could deliver that aspect was much more valuable than even the primary damage dealer at times.

There was nothing wrong with strategic retreats in the face of danger.

Once Basara accepted her proposal and took away the Rook piece, leaving the Bishop’s one still floating above their heads, a predatory smile appeared on her face as she licked her lips greedily while looking at his crotch.

“Well then, Basara-sama. I guess it’s time for you to subdue me.”

Basara gulped audibly at the sight of the thirsty succubus maid. It was clear that this wouldn’t be as easy as it had been when compared to his time with Asia.

Still, Basara was not deterred. As a man, it was his duty to advance without looking back.

He would make this night a night to remember.

[1]: In the Light Novel we later learn that there are multiple universes. With three known ones for now. DxD( Draconic Deus); ExE (Evie Etoulde) FxF (Fadir Ferdora). Basically, each world is named after the two strongest races in that world.

Those who know Shinmai and Highschool DxD novels will be surprised by how I will use ExE. 

Just for info for the anime-only people here, DxD also stands for Dragon of Dragon for Great Red; 

Diabolo Dragon for Vali and Issei. Though in Issei's case, his transformation is more Diabolo Dragon God aka DxD G (AxA doesn’t count since this isn’t really Issei’s power alone.). In my story, Issei was replaced by Basara, and see how fitting that title is for him? 

(AN: Vol 1 will end soon.)