...is here! And her team! Might be I'll get the chance to meet and greet them. Maybe not... Even coming home means business. Adult mind sure is complicated.

Tou-sama is not here, either...

Anyway, they're at the station now! Hope they enjoyed the red-train trip from the world beyond. Meantime, here it was hectic. Rooms and meals prepared, tables set... and manners fixed! Yay! My line, finally!

Another maid approached and told Mom this:

"They're in Lilith."

She nodded, and the maid went off. No 'Grayfia-sama', no fuss. In Lilith--our clan's capital--means they could be here anytime soon.

Right. My turn.

"Am I allowed to greet them, please? Mom, can I?"

At that instant...

"Yes, you would be, Millicas-sama. Just don't hinder the guests' entrance. Let them all come in first, then greet."

Tch... that '-sama' again.

"Thanks!" Smile, Millicas.

Mom's been like that for longer than I can remember; guess I'll just have to get along with it. But still...

Not even Grandmom objected! Tou-sama, current leader of our kind, the Devils, bore it like it was meant! Yet, to me... it's like something is missing.

Smile.

The maids and servants stood in two perfect lines, staying away from the red carpet in the middle. The big doors creaked. I counted seven persons walking in; among them were a blonde girl, a guy with brown hair, and... wait, a white-haired pointy-eared child?

They all wore the same striped outfits. You might guess who was in front. Up to her I ran.

"Rias-neesama! You're finally here!"

She embraced me.

"Well, Millicas--you seem slightly taller. The greetings?"

"Ah, yes." And I rehearsed it again. Once more won't hurt.

"So cute!" the blonde girl said.

"As expected from a Maou's son."

...so that's how even they regard me, huh...

"I'll take you all to Grandmother!" Formal style.

"Ara, thank you."

That's Akeno, the black-haired, ponytailed 'Thunder Priestess'.

Mom opened the next door with telekinetic power; I have yet to master it. I cheerfully went inside ahead of them.

"Rias-neesama and her friends are here!"

"Ara ara, what poor manners."

Not so loud, but it hit. For a while I stayed close to Grandmom, my head so near her bosom. I let her tidy up my hair--she does care about looks.

Quietly, unnoticed, I sobbed once.

Any of you wonder why I called Rias 'neesama' and not 'Auntie'? Because I thought that might embarrass her servants. Still, I was chided. Was it the run? Call it a child's joy...

In a while, Grandmom let go of me and went to converse with the guy with brown hair, before cheerfully announcing dinner.