User blog comment:B214/Volume 23 discussion blog/@comment-2804:D41:4A9B:E500:1D4F:A397:BB70:B3C2-20170726041337/@comment-10330822-20170727224104

Not really, because they maybe be associated as well. The ExE is supposed to be basically a national security agency, protecting the peace of the Three Factions. That is why the group will recruit from multiple races and factions, and why Issei's popularity and ability to gain allies across the different factions is so important.

Ajuka never mentioned anything about keeping this all a secret from Rias and the others, just that they aren't ready to announce the survival of the leaders just yet. More than likely because the Azazel Cup is still going on, which is basically a mock war caused by the power vacuum the missing leaders have caused. Once the dust has settled, I don't expect their survival to remain a secret.

Issei's growth has been stimulated by a lot of outside forces; Sirzechs, Ajuka, Ophis, and even Tannin have all had a hand in Issei's quick development. Personally, I suspect Sirzechs and Ajuka are not only helping Issei develop for Gremory's sake, as Issei is Rias's love, and as such, it benefits Gremory should Issei rise quickly through the ranks, but Sirzechs and Ajuka may be trying to prove a point that reincarnated devils like Issei are the future of the Underworld. This is why Bedeze Abaddon felt Issei was a tool for the high-ranking devils, possibly because Sirzechs and Ajuka are trying to use Issei as the poster boy for resistance to the pureblood-racism that is occuring in the Underworld nowadays.

This would explain why Issei isn't just given plenty of opportunity to develop and win glory in battle, but that they set up a special children's program to increase Isssei's popularity and financial independence. It establishes Issei's reputation among the Underworld, and makes it easier for him to climb the political ladder.