Problem Children are coming from Another World, aren't they?
Sheltered Princess in the Devil's Ballroom?
It had been several months since the Problem Children have arrived in Little Garden, summoned by Kurousagi. They were: Izayoi Sakamaki, Asuka Kudou, and Yo Kasukabe.
They joined in a "No Name" community, a weak association. There, they participated in Gift Games, where they use their powers, "Gifts," in matches between other communities.
Their goal was: to destroy the Maou and take back the "No Name's" flag, name, and honor. However, they weren't even close to getting them back. Instead, they opted to play around.
With their Gifts, the Problem Children dominated every community they encountered as well as befriended many.
Located in a four-digit gate on the Western Floor, music rolled out of a tall majestic medieval castle on a hill. Below that was a city that reminded people of medieval Europe. But it was filled with mirth as people danced, children played, and musicians sang.
Asuka was in the dressing room, a large round room capable of fitting a large class of energized kindergartners.
She sat in front of a mirror while combing her hair. She had on a red formal dress with a red rose on her chest, a black corset, and pink frills coming out the hem of her long skirt. Her hair was in a pigtail and curled into a ball on her head.
"Hmm, maybe I should put on some accessories?" she muttered to herself.
Growing up in a wealthy conglomerate family in post-World War II, Asuka usually let the maids do her hair. But ever since coming to Little Garden, she had to do everything herself, which she came to realize how hard it was.
"...nope, this is good." Asuka was about to put on an elaborate gold flowery hairpin on, but she decided against it, leaving her hair plain. Asuka didn't like things to be too beautiful, and she herself didn't find anything else to comment on.
Once her preparation was over with, she stepped out of the dressing room and into a large ballroom.
This place was called "Satan's Castle." It was ruled by the Maou Lucifer, a retired Floor Master for several thousand years. He was a tall muscular white-haired old man, usually dressed in a pinstripe suit. But tonight, he wore a luxurious tuxedo instead.
The Problem Children were invited to a ball as thanks for getting rid of a powerful monster that nearly killed Maou Lucifer. Shiroyasha was supposed to attend, but she had other matters to take care of. So, she wasn't here.
The only ones here were: Asuka, Izayoi, Yo, and Kurousagi. Jin and the other No Name members were back at home to take care of things. In other words, the Problem Children and Kurousagi were the ones participating.
Remembering all the proper etiquette that was drilled into her at a young age, Asuka took on a polite smile and walked forward. At once, a trumpet blew out of nowhere when she came into view. Then all eyes were directed at her.
"Oh, it's the Crimson Dress Oujo!"
"My, she's very beautiful, indeed!"
"You're as gorgeous as they say you are!"
Compliments flew at rapid-fire at her as Asuka walked deeper into the ballroom. The people congratulating her were Devils. They possessed the characteristics of dark brown horns, bat-like wings, and a long devilish tail that moved from side to side.
Asuka smiled and thanked them as best she could.
News of her involvement against the monster terrorizing the city and Satan's Castle, including her beauty, spread far and wide into the Western Floor. This prompted many Devils to come see her in person.
"Oujo-sama, what took you so long?" said a young male voice that seemed to be irritating, yet soft at the same time. It was Izayoi.
Izayoi was dressed in a black tuxedo, replacing his usual high school uniform. Plus, he didn't have his headphones and combed his blond hair back, revealing a bright face with intelligent purple eyes. Even though his appearance changed, Asuka knew that he was still the arrogant and cocky person who she didn't get along with on the first day they met.
However, Asuka realized that he wasn't as bad as she'd first thought. He had saved her life and the No Name community several times. Then she realized that he had changed so much. She, too, had changed, but they were minor.
Breaking out of her thoughts, Asuka placed a hand on her hip and took on her usual attitude. "You do look good in a suit, Izayoi-kun. Maybe you should dress like that every day from now on?"
Izayoi laughed his usual laughter. "I might, but it'll be too troublesome. No, this is a one-time-only."
"Really, that's a shame."
"You look good as always, though I would've liked you to have at least something in your hair. It'll really bring out that commanding oujo-persona you have. But looking the way you are is fine, too."
On impulse, Asuka's hand went up to touch her hair. For some reason, she regretted putting on a hairpin. "…is that so? Well, it's a pity."
"Oh, the dance is going to start. Kasukabe and Kurousagi are by the drinks. Large crowds like this don't suit them. So, you better choose a good dance partner!" Just like that, Izayoi walked away without looking back over his shoulders at her.
Asuka watched Izayoi's back and remembered that time when Izayoi gave her a piggyback ride. His back was incredibly wide…and warm.
Soon afterwards, dancing music started and the Devils, both young and old, asked for her hand in a dance. Being the "oujo-sama" that she was Asuka couldn't decline their invitation.
For three hours straight, Asuka took turns dancing from one Devil to another on the dance floor. There were so many that she had lost count, even their names. But their facial features were ingrained into her memory. And her feet started hurting.
When the current song ended, Asuka bowed politely to her dance partner, a Devil with blood-red hair and green eyes. He, too, bowed politely at her.
"I'm terribly sorry, but I'll be taking a break right now," Asuka said to the next Devil waiting in line. Since she was one of the guests of honor, the Devils let her have her wish.
She excused herself out of the dance floor and headed for the drinks, where Yo and Kurousagi were for the duration of the time.
When she got there, they were silently watching the dances and ignoring the other Devils' form of courting. Yo was in a mild green strapless one-piece formal dress. She looked so cute. As for Kurousagi, she was still dressed like she always does.
"Have you two been here the entire time?" she asked Yo, who gave her a glass drink. She took a sip and finally managed to quench her thirst.
Yo nodded, a little embarrassingly. "Yes, Asuka-san, I'm not very good with crowds." The calico cat in her arms meowed in agreement.
"Whenever I'm invited to these balls by Shiroyasha-sama, so many always touch my ears," Kurousagi said with a drooping face and rabbit ears. "So, I'm avoiding them today."
"Where's Izayoi-kun?"
"He's still on the dance floor. Just look over there." Yo pointed off to some direction.
When Asuka looked where her friend pointed, she immediately wished that she hadn't.
On the dance floor, Izayoi was dancing with a gorgeous girl about his age. The girl had curly chestnut hair and alluring gold eyes. Her body was small but perfect and wore a snow-white one-piece ball gown.
Izayoi danced with her as if they've been training for years and were putting on a show. The dancers around them had formed a circle, staring at them in wonder. It was no surprise because even Asuka was amazed by Izayoi's dance movements.
Not a single movement was wasted or unnecessary. The way he held the Devil girl's hands and body as they moved felt like he was caressing his treasure and merely danced to the music in his head.
Their spellbinding dance lasted for a minute more before the song ended. Izayoi and the girl pulled apart and bowed to one another. The Devils around them applauded for their splendid performance.
Just as Izayoi was bowing, the girl stepped forward and laid a kiss on his cheek. At once, the dance floor and everyone else who saw it went "OOOOHHH." Izayoi, in turn, gave her a kiss on the cheek back, causing the dance floor to be even more amazed.
At the same time, Asuka's heart felt like it was about to stop, and her anger soared through the roof. She didn't know the reason why, but she knew that she needed to get out of here before her anger became something worse.
"Kasukabe-san, I'm going to get some fresh air, OK?" Asuka said before Yo could say anything. She was already gone when Izayoi returned to the drinks.
Once outside, Asuka marched without a clear destination in mind. Her anger drowned out everything around her, turning them into a blur. When she finally stopped, Asuka found herself in a small garden with a clear night sky and a water fountain nearby. The sound of the dance music could even be heard. Then she let herself cool down.
Although several minutes went by, her anger still hadn't calmed down. It was there, deep inside her heart. This was the first—no, second time—it had happened.
The first happened when she was nine, playing with another boy from the same neighborhood. They became good friends and always did things together. However, the nine-year-old Asuka saw the boy playing with other girls as well and suddenly got angry; her chest hurt like now. That was the first time Asuka discovered her Gift "Authority."
From then on, the boy and other children avoided her because of her Gift to control people. Her parents secluded her inside her mansion, where her Gift became a terrifying thing, isolating her from the rest of the world.
In other words, Asuka became a sheltered "oujo-sama." Even the common sense she had was gained through her maids, from books and TV shows. If it wasn't for those, Asuka would've been lacking in common sense.
But…this pain was the same as that time. It reminded Asuka of her painful days, and wanted to forget all about it. Though for some reason, it wasn't, no matter what.
Just when Asuka decided to leave Satan's Castle, will make up an excuse later, she heard footsteps behind her. Looking over her shoulders, she saw Izayoi, the person she most definitely didn't want to see at the moment.
"…I-Izayoi-kun…what are you doing here?" Asuka asked, forcing her voice to operate, though she knew that any time now the tears will come down.
Izayoi tilted his head to one side, gazing at her intently. She felt like she wanted to hide from his gaze.
"W-What is it? Is there something you want to tell me?" Asuka wanted to get this over with and walk away, but she found that her body won't move, except for her mouth.
Then he came towards her and…embraced her.
"I-Izayoi-kun…w-what are you doing?" Her entire body tensed up like a rock, and her face was clearly red from embarrassment. Asuka tried to break free, but for some reason, she found his embrace to be very relaxing. As the seconds passed while being in Izayoi's embrace, her anger cooled down.
"So, have you cooled down a bit, oujo-sama?" Izayoi asked in a gentle voice that didn't fit his stuck-up image. But in a way, it was soothing to Asuka. "Ha, to think that our little oujo-sama is lovesick, I need to keep my eyes on you from now on."
Hearing that, Asuka's embarrassment soared through the roof. Strength came to her arms, and she pushed herself away from him, though his arms kept her near him.
"W-What do you mean by 'lovesick'? I'm not in—" Before Asuka could finish, Izayoi pressed his head down and kissed her on the forehead. Instantly, her embarrassment disappeared.
Pulling back, Izayoi grinned at Asuka, but it wasn't his usual cocky grin. It was just a peaceful smile. "Wanna dance?"
Before Asuka could comprehend his question, Izayoi pulled her towards him, pressing her against his manly body, and then swayed gently to the dance music drifting from the ballroom.
They swayed so gently that Asuka thought she would fall asleep in Izayoi's arms. Her mind was at peace, including her body and spirit, and wanted this to last forever.
Dancing under the moonlight, in the garden with the boy she likes, which she had just discovered until now, was the best thing a sheltered oujo-sama Asuka could have in life. It was very romantic.
With the dance music continuing, their dances continued as well. Asuka didn't know how many songs they've danced to, but she didn't mind not keeping track. Right now was the best thing in her life, so she didn't want her mind to be anywhere else. Asuka wanted her mind to be right here, right now, and staring right into Izayoi's intelligent purple eyes.
Finally, the dance music ended, and it was time to bid farewell to the ball. It was also time to pull away from Izayoi, something Asuka didn't want, but she did and bowed politely at him. Standing back upright, they stared at one another for a long moment.
"…I-Izayoi-kun…so, what does that make us…now?" she asked, wondering if they would start a closer relationship. But she was hesitant to ask because Izayoi might've done this to help relieve her.
All of a sudden, two people interrupted them.
"Oi, Izayoi-san, Asuka-san!" Kurousagi called up, interrupting their intimate moment. Looking in the direction of the ballroom, Kurousagi was hopping towards them with Yo close behind.
"So, there is where you were, Asuka," Yo said when she stopped in front of them. "What were you doing here?"
"Ah…I, ah…" Asuka didn't know what to say.
"Our little oujo-sama here was crying, so I lent her a hand," Izayoi abruptly said, reverting back to his arrogant self. Asuka couldn't believe how fast he changed. She, too, felt her reverting back to her normal self.
"Is that true, Asuka-san?" Kurousagi asked in a surprised manner. "You were crying? Tell Kurousagi and whoever Devil hurt Asuka-san will be punished!"
"It isn't like that! I wasn't crying! Izayoi-kun, don't lie! I wasn't crying at all!"
Izayoi laughed loudly and walked away. "Whatever! Come on, and let's enjoy the after party…Asuka."
Hearing her name being called out, Asuka somewhat felt relieved that she was getting closer to Izayoi. Though it may not be the romantic story she heard, where the hero and heroine got together immediately, Asuka now had something else to do on her free time, other than defeating Maous.
"Jeez, Izayoi-kun, don't just leave me behind! I want to enjoy the after party as well!" Asuka ran after Izayoi, who playfully laughed at her. In return, she laughed back at him.
"Ah, wait, Kurousagi wants to go, too!" Kurousagi said, chasing after them. "Yo-san, let's hurry!"
Yo nodded and was about to go after her friends, but she abruptly stopped to reconsider something. "Eh, Izayoi-kun called Asuka-san 'Asuka', not 'oujo-sama'? Did they…?"
"Yo-san, please hurry!" Kurousagi was hopping on her feet while staying at one place.
Shaking her head, Yo decided not to pursue the topic. She chased after Kurousagi, and the two of them ran after Asuka and Izayoi, who were already helping themselves to the leftovers.
The End