Highschool DxD: Dragon's Ascent

"So, Lady Phenex, since you are the head of the Phenex Family until your son officially takes over you can continue our negotiations for him. I hope you aren't as idiotic, for the sake of your family at least." I said with an imitation of calm.

I could see emotions I couldn't quite decipher flutter across Lady Phenex's face before she sighed and contrary to what I expected she bowed her head just slightly, not enough to seem subservient but enough to seem apologetic. Good, at least she knew some manners, unlike her son and husband.

"I apologize for my husband's outburst and improper behaviour Sekiryuutei, he has been very stressed latel-"

I cut her off with my fingers loudly tapping on the table.

"I do not want to hear excuses about him or his behaviour. As far as this discussion is concerned, he no longer exists. Do keep this in mind before I take more offence about his existence than I already do. Let's move on to actual business."

Safe to say, my goal here was simple. Get as much as I can out of the Phenex family and on the way grab Ravel and her very hot Milf Mom. I wanted to fuck over the Phenex patriarch as much as I could.

What better to fuck with his head than to fuck his daughter and wife after making them mine and turning his entire family into my possession?

You do not mess with a dragon unless you are prepared for its fangs.

"Now, I hope you have a better offer prepared for me than whatever the hell he was thinking about." Lady Phenex looked aggrieved for a moment but she was way better at not letting her pride ruin things than her husband it seemed.

"...Yes, I thought my husband might do something like this, alongside the compensation for your assault, I wanted to negotiate the release of my son Riser from the seal that you have put him under. We are willing to pay 10-" I cut her off by raising a finger.

"I think I should state this now, I do not plan to, nor will I accept payments or deals of money or Phenex tears, or materials. After all, any of those I can get by myself, I have been running my business for less than a week and I already have a decent chunk of change. People are already lining up for my services if you haven't noticed." Lady Phenex narrowed her eyes.

"Then what is it that you want Sekiryuutei? Phenex territory? Please do not be unreasonable in your demands." She stated with a hint of warning in her tone, she was a Phenex after all. But I think she needs to be put in her place.

I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes in a searching expression before raising a finger.

"Unreasonable? Right, maybe I need to make my words clearer. You see, Lady Phenex, you aren't simply negotiating for my compensation or your son but the fate of your entire Clan. Because soon, it will start sinking. With my emporium existing people will want to buy Phenex tears less and less, to the point where either you would need to lower the price and thus the prestige or well, grit your teeth and watch the sales fall."

She got a more wary expression on her face. I held up another finger.

"Besides, when they hear about the Phenex clan trying to stop me from benefitting the entire underworld and especially them I am pretty sure they will not want to do business with the Phenex to not get implicated. Because when or if the news gets out there will be two sides for the other clans to support."

Do business with the Phenex Clan who tried to kidnap me and disable my business, or buy from me who the Phenex Clan openly showed contempt toward. Easy to see which side most clans would pick except maybe some old-headed bastards. Your family would suffer and lose a lot of prestige and status, you would go from one of the most powerful clans to one that is starting to decline sharply." As I said the last words Grayfia had come back into the room and stood dutifully behind me once again.

Well, that certainly seemed to have done a good job of shorting her circuits. Lady Phenex stared at her tea that Grayfia had put down.

I could see the worry in her eyes, she wasn't so arrogant like her husband that she couldn't recognize her position, the Phenex were at an absolute disadvantage, all of the Satans now disliked them and they only had one lifeline left.

She eventually spoke in a slightly trembling voice. She must have noticed how grave the situation is.

"Please... do not reveal my husband's actions. I know he is at fault for this but it would affect our entire family and the Phenex Territory. I am willing to provide whatever you need in exchange.

I smiled smugly internally, that's what I like to hear. I could just feel Grayfia's unimpressed gaze on me but I didn't care.

Besides, I don't like fucking over the common man, I never thought of revealing the attempt to kidnap me and make people antagonize the Phenex. But they didn't need to know that.

"You can raise your head Lady Phenex. I am not that cruel, I don't like making beautiful ladies sad. In fact, the deal I had in mind could benefit both of us. Well, mostly me."

She raised her head and met my gaze apprehensively.

"You see, I don't exactly have much experience running a business, nor do I want to bother with the nitty gritty details all that much. So I have an offer."

"In exchange for me absolving your debt to me and not disclosing the assassin issue I want you to become my servant and join my peerage." I already discussed the issue of my high-rank status with Grayfia and she told me that Ajuka would deliver me a set within the week.

She looked at me, taken aback and confused.

"But... why me?"

"Well, from what I know you are the one that manages most of the business side of the Phenex Family. Also, I get clout basically. The old bastards probably don't respect me and most don't trust me. I am incredibly new after all.

But, if I have you to manage my business that's an old face for them which brings more legitimacy to my business from their eyes. Also, the more important reason is that I like hot older women."

"..."

"..."

"..."

The silence was deafening, I could feel Grayfia staring at me like I was a rotting dead rat that she accidentally stepped on while Lady Phenex looked completely baffled.

"You... I... What... you are willing to do all of that because you want me? I mean you want me to become your servant?" She said while pointing to herself while I looked aggrieved and annoyed.

"Sure, just go ahead and ignore all of the valid arguments about my benefit I made and just focus on the one that makes me look like an imbecile. Besides I have other benefits by having you as my servant, such as you being a hostage against the Phenex Clan should you guys try any more funny stuff and I would get to harvest you for materials, it doesn't hurt of course, the body of a Phenex is a valuable commodity after all. So, yeah, I consider the payment of your eternal servitude for me a good enough payment for your transgressions against me." I rested my chin on my hands as Lady Phenex looked deep in thought.

After a few moments of contemplation, she looked at me with a resolved albeit slightly aggrieved expression.

"Very well, I suppose I will have to accept your proposition. Thank you Sekiryuutei. But I will have to ask, what about my son, Riser?" She asked while I hid my inner pleasure at having secured a milf for my harem.

As a response, I shrugged my shoulders with a nonchalant expression.

"What about Riser? He is none of my business, he tried to mess with my girlfriend, he tried to cripple me and then he spat on my face. He can stay in his little prison for all I care."

"What would it take for you to release Riser? Wouldn't it look better for your image if you released him along with your allying with the Phenex Family?" I chuckled a little at her words.

"Clever use trying to manipulate me, it's cute. But again, I am not a cruel fellow, I am willing to cut you a deal and I don't wanna cause more headache-inducing work for her." I gesture to Grayfia who seemed to be relieved that I wasn't causing problems for once.

Too bad for her.

"In exchange for Riser's release, I want Ravel, she will become a part of my peerage alongside you. Of course, to a lesser extent, let's say, she will become part of my peerage for only 10 years, that seems fair."

Lady Phenex grasped the hem of her dress.

"...I will have to discuss this issue with Ravel, if she accepts then we will take your deal Sekiryuutei. Just to be clear... will our duties include carnal acts too?" It took me a second to remember what carnal actually meant from her old speech but I nodded my head.

"Yeah, probably. I mean, I am mostly doing this because I am into older women and especially you, I cannot resist the allure of a hot mature woman. And also materials and politics and yada yada, those are the boring stuff. Also, what is your name? I feel like I may have skipped that step." That seemed to stun Lady Phenex as she downright flinched and blushed at my completely blunt words.

I could physically feel Grayfia's gaze on me as she whispered to herself "That just explains too much, what did I expect?"

"I-I see, my name if Rayne Phenex, Sekiryuutei." I nodded in appreciation as I rubbed my chin.

"I see, Rayne huh? That's a pretty name." That made her squirm in place.

"Yes, I... agree? Anyway, please allow me to take a day to discuss this issue with my family before coming to a decisive conclusion." I nodded as Rayne quickly strategically retreated from the meeting making me chuckle.

As always, indeed, saying fuck you to manners and just speaking my mind was more fun, I was a dragon, I said what I wanted to say, I preferred following my heart.

A bit after Rayne had left Grayfia sighed and stood next to me with a disgusted, impressed and judging expression at the same time. Jokes on her, I was into it.

"Seriously, was that any way to speak to the Lady of the Phenex family? I truly have no idea what is going on in that head of yours." I chuckled at the exasperated Grayfia's expense.

"Whelp, I will count on you to keep in touch with the Phenex, Grayfia, in the meantime, I will retreat to my lab in the auction house and prepare some things." Grayfia sighed but nodded anyway and left while I also went down to prepare my things.

✧—•✦•—✧—•✦•—✧—•✦•—✧

I looked at the mother and daughter pair in delight, the Ice Prison next to them not so much.

In the end, it seems like they couldn't reject.

Here comes my order of Chicken and Egg on rice.

A/N: Takumi is a businessman with a business plan, but more importantly he is a man true to his desires and he desires Milfs. But that only means Oyakodon and Phenex Regen is on the menu boys!

After this chapter, we will take a break from all the Devil politics for a bit to finally go back to earth. Of course, they will always be present but I want to shift the main focus away from them for a bit.

What did you guys about Takumi's proposition and the conclusion to the negotiation? I would love to hear your thoughts about it.

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