As much as I'm aware that Shiro (Kumoko) would choose food over romance no matter how many times she was asked, I still came to like Shiro x Wrath. I also know that a lot of people ship Shiro and Ariel. But anyway, I thought before about writing a "long" Shiro x Wrath story but decided to test things with a short one. I'm still not sure if I will make this an one-shot or if I will continue it later. I also wanted to write a story with Shiro, Sophia and Wrath interacting with each other, I just love that trio.
Reminders and warnings before you read the story:
- Kumoko is called Shiroari but everyone calls her Shiro
- this story follows the light novel and not the web novel (Güliedistodiez was the one who stopped Wrath in the web novel, in the light novel it was Shiro)
- as this is a Shiro x Wrath story, I changed the way they acted and felt towards each other a little, aside from that, I tried to stay as loyal to original as I could
- I also avoided involving Sophia and Kuro as it would complicate the story and I wanted something simple this time
"Nai waa" - speech
(Nai waa) - thoughts/short explanations
[Nai waa] - Shiro's thoughts
{Nai waa} - my comments/explanations
I DON'T OWN ANYTHING.
Quick introduction of some characters:
Balto Phthalo - Demon Lord's aide
Kogou -Third Demon Army Commander: nicknamed Idiot Giant by Shiro
Merazophis - Forthu Demon Army Commander: nicknamed Mera by Shiro
Darad - Fifth Demon Army Commander: nicknamed Mr. Samurai by Shiro
Huey - Sixth Demon Army Commander: nicknamed Shota by Shiro
Bloe Phthalo - Seventh Demon Army Commander: nicknamed Hooligan and Deadbeat by Shiro
Wrath - Eighth Demon Army Commander: nicknamed Oni-kun by Shiro
Kuro (Güliedistodiez) - Ninth Demon Army Commander: nicknamed Güli-Güli by Shiro
Shiro - Tenth Demon Army Commander
It was just another normal day in the Demon Realm, a normal weather, a normal neet demon lord, a normal silent Shiro, a normal grumpy Sophia and a normal esper Wrath. Or at least it was supposed to be another normal day, if only it weren't for a strange rumor circulating around the castle. A rumor that quickly became popular with the servants, mainly the female ones.
"Hey, have you heard it?" a random servant asked.
"Heard what?" another inquired.
"The rumor that's been spreading lately." the first one answered.
"Oh! I heard about it! The one about Shiro-sama, right?"
"Exactly!" the demon confirmed.
"I haven't though. What is it about?" a third servant joined in.
"You see, recently, people have been saying that Shiro-sama… has a lover!" the female servant exclaimed excitedly.
"Eeh?! No way! That quiet and mysterious Shiro-sama?!" the third one doubted.
"It's true, I tell you! Some of the servants claim they saw Shiro-sama with a gentleman!" the first insisted.
"Who was it then? Shiro-sama doesn't seem particularly close to anyone aside from the Demon Lord. Much less male ones."
"Well, you see, it's Wrath-sama." the second one answered.
"The 8th Demon Army Commander?! No way!" the third was astonished.
"I keep saying, it's true! A lot of people say these two are suspicious!"
"I need to see it to believe it… Oh! Speak of the devil!" the third looked around the corner and saw the two in question.
The three immediately stopped talking and concealed themselves around the corner. They spied and focused their ears to overhear the conversation. Of course, Shiro and Wrath, both had superior senses so they noticed the three right away. But as they weren't discussing anything secretive nor doing anything bad, they decided to simply ignore the servants' weird behavior. After all, the trio didn't look like they had bad intentions.
"Shiro-san, have you already spoken to Ariel-san?" Wrath asked.
"..." Shiro just nodded with her head.
"I see. What did she say?"
"Orders." a single word came in response.
"New orders, huh?" Wrath assented.
"Elves." another short response.
"The elves again… Do you need help?" Wrath asked.
"Sophia." Shiro shook her head left and right and gave another word.
"So Sophia-san is already on it." Wrath nodded.
"""...""" the three servants only watched in awe.
(What the hell is this…?) they thought.
"...anyway, Shiro-san has to give a report to Balton-san, right?" Wrath asked.
"Nn….." Shiro gave an unsatisfied mumble, then started looking at Wrath expectantly.
Wrath could tell where this was going.
[Felmina-chan is away on an assignment so I can't dump this on her… I don't wanna have to talk… That's right! You can help, Oni-kun!]
"I can't, Shiro-san. This report is about the 9th Demon Army, isn't it? So it's your responsibility. I can't simply take over." Wrath sweatdropped.
"..." Shiro still stared (with her eyes closed of course) at Wrath, only with more intensity.
[If there is hope, there is a way! You are the only I can count on, Oni-kun! You are an esper, after all!]
"...Shiro-san, you should use that willpower to try and talk normally. And I'm not an esper." Wrath kept sweat dropping more with each sentence.
"..." Shiro still faced Wrath with an air of insistence.
[D-Don't talk about the impossible, Oni-kun! Introverts have their own limits after all! Talking normally is nai waa, absolutely nai waa! And you definitely have the "Esper" hidden skill or something, right? Definitely!]
"...No, there's no such skill, Shiro-san." Wrath felt like holding his head.
This was never going to end. Even if it did, it was going to take a while, a while that Wrath didn't have. So, he chose to play it smart.
"Shiro-san, recently I got a hold of some fine krikta fruits…." Wrath said it nonchalantly.
"...!" Shiro immediately reacted.
Though Shiro still kept her poker face, her entire body trembled. Wrath felt a little bad baiting his friend with food but drastic times require drastic measures. He couldn't help but think to himself "Bingo". Who would have thought that the little present he received from one of his subordinates would come in handy like this?
"And since I'm not that fond of that fruit, I thought that maybe Shiro-san would want them. But it would be as a reward for a work well done…" Wrath started raising his hand to scratch the back of his head but…
"..." Shiro grasped his hand with both her hands before he could.
She looked at him with an expectant gaze (eyes still closed). Shiro "disliked" physical contact with others, fights not included, but right now she was too excited to care. Wrath was a little overwhelmed for a few seconds, he wasn't expecting that Shiro to just grasp his hands all of sudden. He felt a little shy inside and his heart actually skipped a beat but avoided showing it on his face, the last thing he needed was for Shiro to get embarrassed as well and teleport away.
[My hands moved before I could stop them! Damn you, Oni-kun! Going for my weak spot like that, real sneaky of you! I always thought you were an average nice oni but you were just hiding your colors, huh!] Shiro blamed him for her own actions.
"..."
Wrath could feel Shiro's nerves calming down, she was starting to resist the sweet temptation (krikta). He needed to take this a step further.
"I guess giving it to you later would be a little too cruel. I could give some to you now, Shiro-san." Wrath said as he moved his free hand.
His free hand entered his pocket dimension, when he took it out, he had a krikta fruit in his palm. Shiro's eyes (closed) followed his hand closely, akin to a dog who followed his owner's hand when it held a bone. Wrath found that a little amusing and had a mischievous thought. He moved his hand right and Shiro's head moved with it, he moved it up and she followed suit. Then she froze for a second, seemingly realizing what she was doing after seeing Wrath letting out small laughs. She intended to glare at him, but her expression barely changed. Instead, she was just pouting.
[This Oni-kun is seriously an oni (demon). Bullying is no good! Don't be a Shinohara, and more importantly, don't be a D! I'm an anti-bullying advocate! Hurray to a bullying-free isekai life! Bullying is totally, completely nai waa!]
"Sorry, sorry. I couldn't resist. Shiro-san looked so cute just now." Wrath admitted with a smile.
"...!" Shiro once again froze.
Wrath thought that her behavior and her pout were cute and admitted it without thinking too deeply. But Shiro, who was not expecting this in the slightest, took a critical hit.
[Wha… What did he just say… I must have misheard it. Yup, definitely, definitely. I said it twice because it's important. Definitely, thrice because it's importantly important. This sneaky little demon! I know D has THE looks and since I look like D I also have….. But the way he said it feels weird! What the hell! He bullied me and then praised me?! When did Oni-kun turn into such a gigolo…?! Take them down to raise them up yourself, was that your plan?!] Shiro's head was overheating.
Shiro's expression didn't change much, that was simply in her constitution. But her emotions were up to eleven right now so her embarrassment was visible on her face. Mostly through the color of her cheeks, the normally white was stained red. Wrath thought again that she looked really adorable right now, but it seems revealing it would only derail the talk even further.
"Err… Sorry if I bothered you with what I said. You can have one now if you'd like." Wrath offered the fruit in his hand with a small smile.
"...Thanks…" Shiro meekly grabbed the fruit with both hands.
Wrath was surprised Shiro verbally said her thanks. Of course, this would be unthinkable in a normal situation but her mental state was not exactly normal at the moment. The servant trio, whose presence has long been forgotten by the two, looked at the scene with high expectations.
"...*hamu*..." {hamu is the japanese onomatopoeia for bitting, though I think it's for a small bite}
Shiro took a small bite off the fruit, and, although her eyes were closed, Wrath felt she was looking at him and not the fruit.
[Weird… This is weird… Why… Why does it not have any taste… Krikta is supposed to be delicious and yet, I can't taste it at all now… Did Oni-kun trick me…?] Shiro didn't notice the problem was not with the fruit but with herself.
As she ate with such small bites and so meekly, she looked really adorable, like a small animal. Wrath thought so but held in the impulse to comment on it. He then noticed that some of the fruit's juice was rolling down her chin. Shiro was absent-minded and didn't seem to notice it so Wrath grabbed a towel he held in his pocket dimension.
"Excuse me for a moment, Shiro-san." Wrath moved the towel towards Shiro's chin and wiped it.
"!" Shiro was startled.
"...!" the three servants were also startled.
In Wrath's mind, it was only natural to do so as Shiro didn't seem to be in her right mind. But in Shiro's mind…
[O-O-O-Oni-kun touched my faaaaceeee!]
It was not about "Wrath helping Shiro" but about "Wrath just touching her face like it was natural". Of course, he didn't touch her directly, there was a towel in his hand, but that was just a small detail right now. Shiro didn't just dislike physical contact, it could be said she abhorred it, and yet, while she wanted to pull away, she didn't feel bad. That was what puzzled her the most at the moment.
[What the hell is thiiiis?! Was Oni-kun some kind brainwasher?! Or is this some kind of joke that D created?! I-It must be! Otherwise, how could this be explained?! I'm a free-spirited spider! I live unbound to anyone or anything! S-Something like this is un-unacceptable! Nai waa! Unacceptably nai waa!]
(This could be bad…) or so Wrath thought.
He wasn't completely sure what was going on inside Shiro's mind but he could see she was on the edge of the edge now. While Wrath was very perceptive, even he couldn't tell what a desperate Shiro is capable of. Best to take a step back and wait for the danger to pass.
"Shiro-san, you look a little… tired right now. You should get some rest. After you give the report to Balto-san, you can talk to me to get the rest of the kritkas. If I finish my work soon, I will be in my room."
"..." Shiro remained unresponsive.
[K-Kritkas…? I guess we were talking about kritkas….] Shiro didn't even react properly to her favorite food.
(D-Did he just call her to his roooommm?!) the three screamed in their minds.
"Then, see you later." Wrath said so and parted.
"..." Shiro still in silence.
[How…. How am I gonna face him next time we meeeeeeet?! Sho-Should I just pretend nothing happened?! Y-Yes, that's for the best! Go, me! Remaining expressionless is kind of my speciality after all! It will be okay! Definitely!... It will, won't it…?] Shiro wasn't so sure of herself.
Still lost in thought, Shiro failed to remember there were three eavesdroppers in the area. They quickly ran inside another room and closed the door. For five seconds they remained in silence but then…
"Kyaaah!" they screamed in sync.
"Oh my god! Did you guys see that?!" the first started.
"Sure did!" the second confirmed.
"So the rumors were true after all!" the third continued.
"They say some couples are capable of understanding each other without the need for words but I never thought it was true!" the first giggled.
"Not just that, but Shiro-sama was so cute! She is always a silent beauty but her embarrassed appearance was so cute! Only Wrath-sama could make her have this kind of reaction!" the second followed.
"But the best was the end. Wrath-sama called her to his room so naturally! They are so daring!" the third completed.
Of course, Wrath didn't call Shiro with that kind of intention. He hoped Shiro would cool her head off and then he would fulfill his part of the deal, give her the rest of the fruits. But the human mind, demon in this case, is easy to deceive. Even more when it already has the wrong idea from the start. Oh, and Balto did receive his report properly though he could barely believe Shiro was speaking sentences with two-three words as her usual were just one word short. And Shiro was so embarrassed she did not visit Wrath's room to get the rest of the reward. Despite that, after that day the rumor that Shiro and Wrath were romantically involved grew uncontrollably, reaching even the Demon Lord herself.
(Shiro-chan and Wrath-kun…? Is that even possible…? Is it not just a food coincidentally called "Wrath"? Between that and the chance that Shiro-chan actually fell in love with someone, I think the former wins by a wide margin.) Ariel understandably though so.
"Maybe I should talk to her." Ariel muttered.
Fortunately, she was going to have a meeting with all the army commanders in a few minutes, which meant that Shiro and Wrath will be coming soon. Unfortunately, that meant Ariel had to wait for the meeting to end so she could ask about their relationship.
Just a few minutes of waiting later, all the army commanders arrived and sat down, with only Balto standing beside Ariel. The meeting itself was short but for some people it felt unbearably long. The people in question were… well, everyone aside from Huey, Darad and Kogou. Huey had a childish personality, while Darad and Kogou weren't exactly the brightest people around so the three failed to notice what was going on.
To put it simply, from the moment Shiro entered the room, she was clearly avoiding Wrath, even trying to avoid looking in his direction during the entire meeting. Ariel and Kuro noticed this right away, Balto, Agner and Sanatoria noticed it a little though they paid more attention to Bloe. Shiro's behavior was not the only reason the meeting felt unbearable, Bloe's hostile gaze directed at Wrath also played a big part in it. The rumors about Shiro and Wrath reached not just Ariel but also the army commanders. Most of them didn't really care that much as it didn't affect them in any way, maybe they were somewhat curious about the silent Shiro having a relationship with a fellow commander, but Bloe, who had unrequited feelings for Shiro, couldn't just ignore this.
(...Right, I don't know if the rumors are true or not but something definitely happened between them. Shiro-chan does look like a typical highschool girl hiding from her crush… But given Wrath-kun's confused reaction I don't think they are a thing yet… Hm, I should definitely talk to them after this.)
As soon as the meeting was declared over, Bloe walked to Wrath with firm steps. Bloe should have waited for everyone to leave or he should have called Wrath to another place but Bloe is someone who thinks with feelings and not his head. And of course, the others who saw something was about to start, didn't leave the room but stayed to watch.
"Oi, Wrath." Blow called out.
[...The heck is Deadbeat trying to pull off?] Shiro was momentarily pulled out of her embarrassment.
"...What is it, Bloe-san?" Wrath asked.
Wrath had a bad feeling. He thought it was weird before that Shiro did not appear to get her fruits but he imagined that maybe she got busy at the last moment. He realized that was not the case as the days passed and she still refused to visit him, even avoiding meeting his gaze during the entire meeting. Added to that, Bloe kept glaring at him like an enemy during the meeting. Wrath knew that Bloe liked Shiro, everyone aside from Shiro herself was aware of that. If Bloe was angry at him, it most certainly concerned Shiro as well.
"Are the rumors true, Wrath?" Bloe asked, still glaring.
"Rumors?" Wrath was puzzled.
It was a typical story, when rumors regarding a person appear, the person involved tends to be the last one to hear about it. Likewise, Shiro and Wrath had no idea about the rumors involving themselves. Shiro's subordinates, the Tenth Demon Army, were aware of the rumors but were too afraid to ask. They couldn't fathom the idea of Shiro ever falling in love with anyone and couldn't imagine what reaction she would have if asked about being in a relationship with Wrath so they pretended not to know. Needless to say, Sophia was the only one not aware of rumors among the Tenth Demon Army, as she is, in Wrath's words, "a bit of an idiot".
"I asked if they were true!" Bloe impatience was growing by the second.
"Errr… I'm sorry Bloe-san but I have no idea what you are talking about. And maybe it's best for us to talk without anyone around." Wrath tried to suggest…
"Hell no! We are settling this here and now!" …in vain.
[...That Hooligan is rude as always. I'm not sure why but I don't like the way he's talking to Oni-kun…] Shiro was getting annoyed.
Wrath was pretty sure that whatever is it that Bloe wants to talk about, it won't do any good to talk "here and now". But from what he understood about Bloe's personality, it was useless to talk to him when he was like this. Bloe didn't realize but Shiro's opinion of him kept getting lower and lower.
"Hey, hey. Sorry but I will be butting in." Ariel said in a cheerful voice.
"Ariel-san?" Wrath couldn't understand what Ariel intended.
"The hell do you want…?" Bloe asked, annoyed.
[He's even doing it to the Demon Lord! That settles it, I should teleport him to the deep floors of the ought to teach him a little lesson about manners. Yup, that sounds good. Fuhahaha! Laughing like an evil mastermind is fun! Hahahahaha!]
"Shiro-chan." "Shiro-san." Ariel and Wrath said at the same time.
They looked at each other a little surprised. Shiro was also surprised and a little unhappy.
[They did it at the same time! Perfect timing! The kind of thing that happens a lot in anime! …But I'm not liking this for some reason… Did you guys have to be synchronized…? You getting along or something…?] Shiro was unsatisfied.
"Ehem. Shiro-chan, you were looking a little ominous so I was going to tell you to stop but it seems Wrath-kun also noticed." Ariel explained.
[Oops. Busted. Tehee. But saying I was "ominous" is rude! Say mischievous instead.]
Ariel and Shiro were very close, everyone knew that. That's precisely why rumors about Shiro's identity flew uncontrolled when she first moved into Baltro's mansion, such as "Demon Lord's sister", "Demon Lord's proxy", "Demon Lord's best friend" and so on. Because of that, the commanders here could recognize that Ariel has a good grasp of Shiro's thoughts but what attracted their attention now was the fact that Wrath also did the same as Ariel. They thought that the rumors were really true.
"Grrr… Damn it, Wrath!" Bloe cursed.
"B-Bloe-san?" Wrath really couldn't understand Bloe's anger.
"Oops, my bad. I said I was butting in but got sidetracked." Ariel apologized.
"Does that mean Ariel-san is going to explain what is going on?" Wrath asked.
"Yup, that's right." Ariel sent a thumbs up.
Ariel looked at Shiro and then back at Wrath.
"Well, to put it simply, recently there have been some rumors regarding you two."
"Rumors regarding us?" Wrath was confused.
"...?" Shiro was confused too.
[Rumors…? Which ones? There used to be a lot of rumors regarding me in the past. Like how I never open my eyes, like how I'm close to the Demon Lord yet I showed out of nowhere. But rumors about me AND Oni-kun? No idea. Sorry, teacher, don't know the answer to that one. I didn't study hard enough, don't make me repeat the year.]
"Yeah, the rumors are quite spread too. Like, from the servants, aaaall the way to me." Ariel did an exaggerated gesture with her hand, drawing half a circle in mid air.
"...Really?" Wrath asked incredulously.
[From the servants all the way to the Demon Lord…? From the lowest post to the highest?! Doesn't that mean that virtually everyone knows?! Even the Tenth Army?! Were they hiding it from me?! Damn mortals! They will be punished after this! Divine Wrath! Quite literally since I am, after all, a god! Fuhahaha! No Zero Mortal Plan though.] Shiro selfishly thought.
"Yup, I'm guessing that's what got little Bloe here so pissed off." Ariel looked at the person in question.
"Don't call me 'little', damn it!" Bloe snarled.
"Bloe, watch your mouth!" Balto warned.
Balto was painfully aware that Bloe's first love was Shiro. He was also painfully aware of how hopeless Bloe was in showing his love and how hopeless his future prospects looked. Balto had no idea how strong Shiro was since she didn't have an overwhelming pressure like Ariel but his instincts told him that Shiro was also dangerous. Regardless of whatever the rumors were true or not, there was always the possibility of Bloe pissing off Shiro and getting killed.
"Anyway, the rumors about Wrath-kun and Shiro-chan, see…" Ariel started.
"..." Wrath looked nervously at Ariel, in anticipation.
"..." Shiro did as well.
Even the other commanders, who already knew about the rumor, gulped in front of Ariel's seriousness. The suspense was in the air.
"...To be continued." Ariel said.
"Eh….?" Wrath, and everyone in the room, thought he heard wrong for a second.
[T-This damn neet demon loooooorrddd!] Shiro snapped inside.
Shiro was preparing to kick Ariel into the wall. Even if it were disgraceful to do it in front of the other commanders, Shiro firmly believed Ariel deserved some pain. Sensing the change in Shiro's mood, Ariel panicked.
"A joke! I was just a joke so calm down, Shiro-chan! I will properly explain it, so chill out a bit!" Ariel waved her hands in a panic.
"..." Shiro remained still but she looked menacingly at Ariel.
[If you joke again, I'm pulling the scythe! I've been on the edge for quite a while now so I will just use you as a stress reliever!]
"E-Ehem, as I was saying. There have been rumors that Wrath-kun and Shiro-chan are a couple." Ariel revealed.
"...What?" Wrath thought he heard wrong.
[...Eh?] Shiro couldn't believe what she just heard too.
"Tsk!" Bloe looked like he bit something sour.
"As I thought, the rumors completely escaped your ears." Ariel said, nodding her head.
[Just… Wait… Eh? What….. Whaaaaaattt?!]] Shiro panicked inside.
Shiro had just enough reason left in her head to keep her eyes closed. She was surprised to the point of almost opening them. Even if she didn't use her Evil Eye, the commanders were definitely going to freak out if they saw what her eyes looked like.
"But… how exactly did such rumors come to be…?" Wrath couldn't even begin to imagine why something like this happened.
"I'm not completely sure. Maybe because you are one of the only guys who actually seem closer to her than just an acquaintance?" Ariel pondered.
"That… doesn't seem like enough of a reason." Wrath turned to look at Shiro.
Shiro was still half-frozen in place. She was always silent and barely moved, add to that her closed eyes and others often wonder if she is really awake. But now she looked stiff in addition to all that.
"Shiro-san…?" Wrath asked.
"...!" Shiro seemed to snap out of her transe.
[O-O-Oni-kun?!] Shiro was startled at suddenly being called by the one responsible for her recent inner turmoil.
(Hou…) Ariel was amused at Shiro's reaction.
Ariel doubted the rumors at first but seeing this, she thought there was some potential. If Shiro really fell in love with someone, it could help her mature as a person. And maybe, just maybe, Shiro could find a reason to fight that wasn't just herself.
"Shiro-san, do you have any idea what might have caused this?" Wrath asked.
"..." Shiro just shook her head in denial.
"I thought so… I mean, we normally just talk to each other, nothing that could cause this." Wrath put his hand on chin, thinking deeply.
[I guess we just talk to each other… though he is the one that talks, I just let him read my intentions. As expected of the esper!] Shiro started to look at Wrath with some hope and expectations.
Wrath immediately recognized that look and sweatdropped.
"...No, Shiro-san. I already said many times before but I'm not an esper." Wrath denied.
The commanders raised their eyebrows, as it was their first time actually seeing Shiro and Wrath interacting. It was… amusing.
[Man, espers these days are so humble. But I understand. It is the dream of many schoolboys in manga to hide their supernatural abilities and fight underground evil organizations! But anyway, back to the matter at hand, something that could have sparked these rumors… Ah! Those three from before, maybe they had nothing to do and spread that gossip to kill time!]
Seeing Shiro give off a small reaction, Wrath asked.
"Did you notice something?"
"..." Shiro nodded.
"What is it?"
"Last time." Shiro answered with two words.
[I did it! Totally nailed it! I can do it when I try!] Shiro felt like patting herself in the back.
"Last time? Oh, I see. The servants at that time, huh? I guess it must have been them. Why did they do it though? They didn't seem like they had bad intentions." Wrath wondered.
"..." Shiro maintained her silence but lifted her hands and shook her head as if saying 'they are hopeless, nothing to be done about it'.
[These servants must have been bored out of their minds. What can we do about it? I guess I will have to teach them a lesson later. That's what we can do.] Shiro decided.
"Shiro-san, acting as if they are hopeless is too much and I don't think we need to get violent. I will just talk to them later and figure something out." Wrath reasoned with her.
[You are too nice, Oni-kun…. Surely he doesn't hold any special feelings for any of them, right? And why am I so bothered by it?! What's wrong with me?!] Shiro looked a little disappointed and then started despairing a little.
"Rather than nice, I'd say this is just normal, Shiro-san." Wrath reasoned yet again.
Wrath suddenly stopped and looked around, everyone was staring at him and Shiro. Aside from Ariel, who looked like she thought of a mischief, and Bloe, who looked filled with rage, the others looked at them with interest and bewilderment.
"Erm… what is it?" Wrath asked, a premonition of trouble ahead.
[Yeah! What is it?! Stop staring at me damn it! Introverts are weak against this and the System doesn't have a "Stare Resistance Skill"!] Shiro complained inside.
"Well, there you have it, Wrath-kun." Ariel answered.
"What do you mean, Ariel-san?" Wrath was still not sure.
"You asked where the rumors came from, there's your answer."
"...What?"
[What?]
"I mean, after you two displayed such an… interesting exchange, I can see why the rumors started." Ariel nodded her head with her eyes closed and arms crossed, making a "I see, I see" pose.
"I-Interesting exchange?" Wrath asked.
[Yeah, what was interesting about that? We were just talking normally.]
"Since the two of you don't seem to understand, I will explain it." Ariel took a deep breath.
"You see, do you think it's normal for a guy to just guess what a girl is thinking like you do?" she continued.
"Well, I guess it's not that common." Wrath agreed.
[I keep telling you, Oni-kun is an esper!]
"...Shiro-san, I'm not an esper." he denied for the Nth time.
"You are doing it again. Look, the rumors flying around are something like 'Wrath-sama and Shiro-sama are such an adorable couple! Wrath-sama understands what Shiro-sama wants to say even though she doesn't say anything and Shiro-sama in return, only shows that embarrassed side of hers to him'. It's something along these lines." Ariel said that part acting like a typical highschool girl gossiping about romance.
[Whattaheck! Like, around half of the rumor is dead on though! But we are not a c-c-couple! How much imagination do these people have?! Is the Demon Realm in such a bad situation that the demons around have some romance filter in their eyes?!] Shiro mentally held her head.
"T-That is…" Wrath started blushing a little.
Sure, when it was put like that, he had to admit they did sound pretty close. The event from a few days ago came back to mind. Seeing Shiro acting that embarrassed in front of him was enjoyable for him, even more since he was the only one who got to see her like this. But why was he feeling like this? Wrath decided to make full use of his Thought Acceleration and come to a conclusion as fast as possible, he closed his eyes and focused.
(What is going on…? Even back in Japan I never fell in love with anyone. Is it possible that I feel this way towards Shiro-san…? I don't feel particularly happy whenever I meet Shiro-san nor have I ever imagined being together with her. But maybe this isn't something that is easy to verify simply by imagining things… It could be said that Shiro-san is the closest person to me right now since my family in this world has already passed away. The people of the Eighth Army are friendly but draw a line since I'm the commander. Merazophis-san is also friendly but he is quite professional. Ariel is friendly but… my instincts keep warning me to watch out and it seems behind that smile there's a mountain of hatred. Sophia-san… I think of her as a friend but I believe she feels the same but I get the feeling that at the same time she also slightly dislikes me. Shiro-san might really be the one closest to me.)
Ariel and Kuro both noticed that Wrath seemed to be in deep thought, Shiro didn't as she was caught in her own thoughts. The other commanders also didn't catch on but it's not like Wrath was taking a while, only two seconds have passed.
(What is important is what comes to mind when I think of Shiro-san… She is beautiful, to the point where I never saw anyone like both in this life and the previous one. She doesn't talk much, she can be incredibly cold to strangers but surprisingly kind as well. Even though her lack of words makes her difficult to understand, her happy appearance when her intentions are transmitted is cute and I do enjoy our little "talks". The way she seems to hold me in high regard for understanding also feels good… And, when I think about it, it was her who saved me, huh?)
Wrath recalled the past, when he first met a fellow reincarnation in this world.
(When I was on yet another rampage thanks to my Wrath Skill, my meeting her was what triggered my salvation. Because I met her in this world, I was able to finally stop my rampages and find some meaning to my life, namely, fighting to save the world and give meaning to the sacrifices I made. But the question remains, where do I want to go from here?)
Wrath could feel all the deaths he caused weighing on his conscience.
(Do I maintain this comfortable distance or do I crave for more? Can someone like me really desire happiness like that? When I have killed and deprived so many of theirs?)
Wrath managed to more or less sort out his feelings, or at least he managed to understand he thought of Shiro more strongly than he initially believed, he just never gave it enough thought to notice before. But now he wasn't sure if he should try to pursue her. His answer was about to come thanks to a certain impatient army commander…
"Wrath! Fight me!" Bloe suddenly shouted from the top of his lungs.
"What?" Wrath's line of thought was interrupted.
"Bloe!" Balto felt something bad was going to happen.
"Don't stop me, aniki! This is time!" Bloe drew his sword.
Balto was understandably afraid that Ariel was going to kill Bloe for drawing his sword in front of her. Thankfully for him, Ariel seemed willing to just standby and watch for now.
"...Why do you want to fight me, Bloe-san?" Wrath asked.
"To settle things! Whoever wins, gets to ma-ma-marry Shiro!" Bloe stumbled but managed to finish his sentence.
"What…?" Wrath asked with a surprisingly sinister look to his face.
(... What is this fuc*% saying?)
Wrath's eyes could only see red all of sudden. The moment he imagined Bloe holding Shiro, his indecisive stance instantly changed to "there's no way I'm letting that happen".
"Uaaaah… bad move, buddy." Ariel cringed a little.
[What… is this Hooligan saying? Who does he think he is?! Who said he gets to decide if I'm gonna get married or not?! The audacy! I'm gonna throw him to the sharks, nay, to the Taratecs in the lower floors! He even got Oni-kun involved… Wait… Wait just a second… Is he also saying that I will marry Oni-kun if he loses…? Eh? Like, eeeeh?!] Shiro's mind was filled with rage before slowing down and changing to embarrassment.
"Bloe, infighting between commanders is not allow–!" Balto started.
"I don't mind, Balto-san." Wrath interrupted.
"Wha–" Balto flinched.
Wrath was someone who did his duties faithfully but seemed pretty relaxed when he was not working, that was the impression Balto had of him. But Wrath right now looked like a beast, a mad beast with an endless rage curling inside. Normally, Wrath would have tried to calm Bloe down, saying that he shouldn't just selfishly decide for Shiro or maybe by saying he didn't want to fight. It was clear that Wrath was not in a good state of mind. The other commanders had already retreated a few steps to avoid getting caught in the incoming fight. As commanders, they have a duty to stop this "meaningless" fight but since Ariel, the Demon Lord, seemed to have an interest in the outcome of this fight, they decided to watch as well.
"We will settle this here and now, Bloe-san." Wrath announced, taking a sword out of his pocket dimension.
"J-Just as I wanted!" Bloe held his stance.
Perhaps Bloe was too caught in his own momentum to realize or maybe he did realize and just thought he couldn't back down now, but Wrath was much stronger than him. Balto tried to stop this as his brother was about to die but Ariel stopped him.
"Don't worry, I will make sure no one dies." Ariel winked.
"...Understood." Balto still feared for his brother but was also relieved that Ariel didn't seem intent on using this chance to get rid of Bloe.
Shiro also just watched, unsure of how to feel. Of course, even if Bloe somehow, in a one in a million chance, managed to win, Shiro was not going to marry him. It was something he decided by himself after all. But if, more like when, Wrath won, how was she supposed to react? Surely Wrath would say that Shiro didn't need to follow Bloe's rules, but what if he tried to marry her? Shiro's mind was short-circuiting just from imagining it and she still had no idea what to do.
"Then, let's begin!" Bloe said as he charged.
"Raarg!" Wrath roared.
It was instantaneous, Wrath used his Wrath Skill and entered his enraged state for just a split second, just enough for him to send Bloe flying against the wall. True to her word, Ariel moved lightning-quick and started healing Bloe before he even crashed against the wall. Of course, Ariel healed him just enough for him not to die, he was going to spend some time in bed unless someone else healed him. But Ariel recommended against it, she said that Bloe was likely going to need some time for himself after this, for his broken heart more specifically. Seeing this uncharacteristic gentleness, Balto said his thanks and carried his unconscious brother away.
[Whoa… I thought Oni-kun lost control when he used his Wrath Skill yet he managed to use it for just a split second and retain control. He knows he can't control the full power so he uses it only for a moment, maybe we should call this the "Oni Smash"!... Wait, why are you getting closer…?]
After Balto left, Wrath put his weapon back and started walking towards Shiro, serious face and firm steps. He looked a little intimidating. With each step forward he took, Shiro unconsciously took a step back. By the time she noticed her back was against the wall, Wrath's face was already inches away from hers.
[Hiiiih…! I thought he was gonna k-k-kiss me for a second there! I-It can't be, are serious about the marriage thing, Oni-kun…?! I-I never consented! But… I never denied it either… what am I thinking?!] Shiro thought in a panic.
Shiro could easily escape by teleporting but deep down she didn't want to escape. Ariel was just giggling in the corner by this point. The other commanders too, turned into a part of the background before they even noticed. But Wrath was still bothered by them and decided to change locations.
"...!" Shiro made an inaudible sound.
"Oohh!" Ariel applauded.
"Excuse us then." Wrath nodded and left, carrying Shiro in his arms.
[Pr-Princess carry?! Were you always this daring, Oni-kun?! I-It's my first time, not, Mera carried me like this before but I was too sick to care! I'm not sick now so I care a lot! Oni-kun, Stoooop! You are killing me here!] Shiro covered her face with her hands.
Wrath just silently carried Shiro in his arms with a serious face as he walked through the hallways. Servants and soldiers alike all looked at him incredulously, opening a path when he passed by. Of course, there were giggles and women going "kyaa" as they watched. Eventually, the walk (torture) ended and Wrath took Shiro a room nobody was allowed in. He let her down and…
"I'm really sorry, Shiro-san!" Wrath apologized by bowing his head, ninety degrees.
"...?"
[Y-Yeah, you should definitely a-apologize! Do you have any idea how much I suffered?!]
"I had no intention of fighting Bloe-san at first but…" Wrath stopped, scratching his cheek with his finger.
"?"
[But…?]
"When he talked about marrying you, I… just lost it." Wrath admitted, blushing a little.
"Eh?" Shiro murmured.
"I intended on clearing the rumors regarding us but I got… a little too mad when Bloe-san said those things…"
"..."
[Eh? Eh? Eeeeeh?! D-Do you have any idea what you are saying, Oni-kun?! When you put it like that, it's almost li-like y-you…!] Shiro was unable to finish her thoughts.
"I'm also sorry for suddenly carrying you without asking for permission but… Shiro-san, you could have easily escaped if you wanted, so… why didn't you?" Wrath, his eye releasing a small glint.
"...!"
[T-That's right! I could have teleported away! But, forget teleporting, I didn't even struggle…! W-Why?! Is it the same reason I've been thinking of Oni-kun for the past few days?!] Shiro agonized.
"Shiro-san, I'm really sorry if I'm wrong but… You didn't want to escape, did you?" Wrath guessed, slowly approaching Shiro.
"W-Wait…" Shiro managed to squeeze.
[O-O-Oni-kun! Were you always such a carnivore?! Am I going to be eaten?! Go-Goblins don't eat spiders, yo-you know!] Shiro tried to retort mentally in vain.
"Shiro-san… if you don't want this, you can do anything. Leave, scream, teleport, run, hit me, no matter what you do I won't hold it against you." Wrath said.
He was cleverly cutting away her excuse of "doing nothing out of fear of damaging their friendship" before she even had the chance to say it.
"But if you don't stop me, I…" Wrath got closer and closer.
[What do I do?! What do I do?! What do I do?! And why am I just thinking the same question over and over without doing anything?!] Shiro was about to give up.
Shiro really could do anything to escape for she herself didn't understand why, she didn't want to do anything to escape. She wanted to escape but at the same time she didn't. Still, she had one last trump card.
[T-That's right! I still have my eyes! One look at them, and even Oni-kun would freeze in shock!]
When Wrath was less than twenty centimeters away, Shiro determinedly opened her eyes and made eye contact with Wrath. She wasn't using her Evil Eye but she hoped Wrath would get startled and back off. Far from taking distance, he completely defied her expectations by softly putting his hand on her face.
"Some people must have said your eyes were scary but I think they are beautiful. They really suit you, Shiro-san." Wrath said with a smile.
That was the moment Shiro was completely and utterly defeated.
[That's unfair, Oni-kun... If you got that far... I won't be able to deny it...] Those were Shiro's last thoughts before her mind blanked out.
Her entire face was tinged red and she had a face that was a mix of embarrassment and shock. Seeing that, Wrath couldn't stop himself anymore even if he wanted, he moved closer and Shiro made no attempt to stop him either. Their lips slowly closed the distance until they overlapped and what happened after that, only they know.