When I woke up, there was an unfamiliar ceiling.

“…….This place is?”

When I looked around, I understood that I was laying on the bed with bandages on me. Rather than the wounds, I was really exhausted. It seems like there isn’t the slightest amount of stamina left in me….. Did I pass out after that?

“Looks like you woke up.”

….! A familiar voice! When I looked beside me…….. It was Sairaorg-san wrapped in bandages.

“Sairaorg-san…….. Your bed was beside mine?”

“Coincidently, yes. There should have been spare rooms. Possibly Sirzechs-sama or Viceroy-Azazel matched this room so we can have someone to talk to until we have our stamina recover.”

Hahahaha. I wouldn’t go so far as to fight you on the bed…….

“…….So I lost.”

Sairaorg-san says that.

“…….Not bad. It’s probably my first time tasting acceptable defeat like this. But I don’t remember the last part of the battle. I was here when I realised it.”

“Me too……. To tell you the truth, my memory is jangled up.”

“I just remember one thing. It was the best fist fight I ever had.”

…….Certainly. It was refreshing.

“I was beaten to a pulp. And I also beat you to a pulp. Weirdly, I'm in a good mood.”

We both smiled while having our bodies wrapped in bandages. Then a person entered the room.

“Excuse me.”

A crimson-haired man. It’s Sirzechs-sama.

“Sirzechs-sama.”

“Ya. Ise-kun, Sairaorg. It was truly a magnificent fight. I very strongly feel that way, and the other people at the top were all satisfied with it. It was certainly a fight that made me feel hopeful and look forward to the future of both of you.”

Sirzechs-sama sits in the chair nearby after giving a positive comment to both of us.

“Now. I have something to tell you Ise-kun. Sairaorg. May I talk to him for a bit?”

“I do not mind……. Do you want me to leave?”

“No. I don’t mind. You will not suffer by hearing this.”

Sirzechs-sama says it with a serious face.

“Ise-kun. There is talk about a promotion for you.”

…….. I couldn’t understand what he just said. But Sirzechs-sama continues on.

“To say it precisely, there is talk about a promotion for you, Kiba-kun and Akeno-kun. All of you have fended off the attacks of the terrorists. The terror that occurred at the Big-Three-Faction meeting. The terror started by Old-Maou Faction. You also have fended off the God, Loki. This was also decided because of the incident at Kyoto and the splendid fight you had today. Soon the three of you will rise up in ranking. Congratulations. This is an irregular thing, and a rare promotion that happened at this age.”

Sirzechs-sama says it with a happy face……….

“Huh………?”

That’s the only thing I could say. Then I started to understand what he just said. “Wa..Wa….Wait…….! Pro-pro-pro…….promotion!

I’m getting a promotion!? Eh!? You don’t mean “Promotion” as in pawn’s promotion right!?”

Sirzechs-sama smiles at my question.

“That’s how much you have accomplished. There’s still things you lack in, but you are getting a promotion including the possibility you have in the future.”

……..Sairaorg-san then says it to me, who still didn’t get a grasp of this situation.

“Take it, Hyoudou Issei. You accomplished things for which you should receive this. It doesn’t matter where you were born or came from. You are a man who should become the Hero of the Underworld.”

….Even if you say that, I…… Sirzechs-sama also makes a bitter smile after seeing me confused.

“Um. I will send the proper details to you next time. I want you to get a promotion after receiving the proper courtesy. We still need to decide the location of the stadium and proper details from now. Then I will excuse myself.”

Saying that, Maou-sama leaves the room. Sairaorg-san and I were left in the room. Even now, I think this is still a dream. Because……Because I’m getting a promotion! Well yeah…. It certainly was my dream and it was what I was aiming for. I never thought that something like this will come to me this quickly…… Crap! Crap! What should I do!? I don’t know what’s going on!? I was confused then Sairaorg-san says to me:

“The promotion is okay, but right now what’s important is Rias. You like her don’t you? Rias that is.”

…….A topic about Buchou. I can understand that immediately. That’s because I blurted it out in front of all those people!

“Ummmm. ……..Yes. I do love her.”

“Then how about you tell her your feelings once again? This time directly with only the two of you. You already shouted out that she is the woman you have fallen for in front of all the crowd.”

Ce-certainly I did……. But I just went with the flow at the stadium….. But it would be a different story if it's just only the two of us! I then spoke out nervously.

“……I……I can have confidence right?”

“If you couldn’t, then come to my place. I will give you a cup of coffee to cheer you up and will listen to your story.”

“…….Sairaorg-san. Thank you. I……I!”

He’s too kind that I started crying.

I had a fist fight with this person with our dreams on the line. I thought that I would want to have a drink of tea with him again in the future.