Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 23
Kalego had eventually nodded off with a little of Persephone's magic. She glanced over with a grin to see him resting and Shichiro had brought Pandora to see Iruma. She was using her 'rose tint' to ease his dreams. He finally seemed to be resting peacefully for a change while Balam watched over them, grateful for her help.
Sullivan and Nene were speaking nearby about how and when to move the boy. Opera had gone home ahead of them to prepare. Sullivan suddenly got a dark look in his eye. Noting the change, Nene smirked faintly.
"You sensed it, too?", she asked. They exchanged glances, communicating silently. A brief nod and Sullivan called out. "Lamya-chan, come stand by us, won't you?", he said, grinning cheerfully. Assuming they wanted to include her in the transport plans, she obeyed.
As she got close, Nene gently tugged her into a specific spot. "Just stand right here, okay?", she said. Persephone was confused why they were acting so oddly, but knew there must be a good reason. Then her battle honed senses kicked in. Something was coming fast and headed in her direction.
A moment later, she stared wide eyed in surprise. An arrow had been stopped right before it would have pierced her heart. Sullivan held it tightly. A second later, the arrow split in two, a delayed reaction from Nene's katana. Both demons had reacted in nick of time.
A purple liquid dripped onto the floor from the split arrow. "Poison?", ventured Shichiro. After a closer look, he verified his findings. Pandora covered her mouth in shock. Her cousin had nearly been killed right in front of her.
"This shouldn't have been possible", said Persephone, still recovering. A glance to the side proved Robin was fast asleep in his bed, Bachiko napping in the chair beside him. "How - ?", uttered Balam. Pandora was the first to speak. "His blood. She must have drained him pretty badly… Poor Robin-kun. He doesn't even realize", she explained.
Everyone exchanged glances as Kalego hazily sat up straight. "What's everyone grumbling about?", he inquired, still half asleep. Then his eyes settled over the arrow in Sullivan's hand. "Victoria", he said darkly, barely suppressing his rage.
Pandora grasped Shichiro's arm, getting his attention. "If she ingests enough of someone's blood, she can borrow their bloodline ability", she stated. Kalego grit his teeth. "Undoubtedly she wanted us to blame Bars", he said. It would only help Ai's cause if there was infighting amongst those who defied her.
"But he's no longer under her control", uttered Shichiro. "And she knows it. This was her way of telling us off", said Persephone, taking the broken arrow in her hands. She stared at the traces of poison. It would have been a painful death.
"Is everyone alright?", asked Kalego, getting to his feet. He felt irritated with himself. He'd given in to sleep and nearly lost Persephone again because of it. He should have kept his guard up. Reading him like a book, Persephone sent him a supportive grin, glad he still cared.
"Pan-chan, how long will she have 'bullseye'?", inquired Shichiro, worried. By that point, Bachiko had also woken up. "It's only good once a day", she reminded. Pandora looked relieved by that. "Victoria can only hold a borrowed ability until she uses it. Even if she still has some of Bars-kun's mana, it won't do her any good", she explained.
Balam thought back to when Victoria had told him about stealing bloodline traits by eating their owners' hearts. She'd done it to Purson-kun's missing brother. There was no telling how much experimenting she had done to perfect the method.
"Well then, it seems that was her only shot", stated Sullivan, calming the room. The others tried to relax, but Victoria was getting unpredictable and that was dangerous. If she attacked them while moving Iruma to safety, a lot of things could go horribly wrong.
Kalego sent Persephone a readable look and stepped out into the corridor where they could speak in private. She followed him quietly while the others talked over what precautions needed to be in place.
In the hall, Kalego gave Persephone a concerned stare. Stepping close, she gently stroked his face. "I'm all right. Mum and Sullivan-sama stopped the arrow in time", she said. He held her gaze evenly. "And the poison?", he inquired. "It never touched me", she assured.
Glancing down, he could see her chest was unharmed. Not a single drop of Ai's vile toxin had reached its target. Taking the edge off, Persephone said, "My eye is up here", with a smirk. Kakego shied his face with a tinge of pink. Her dress was rather low cut. "Very funny", he grumbled.
She chuckled at his tone and it actually put him at ease. Smiling softly, he looked into her eye. It was a deep, red pool of suppressed affection. The way she looked at him stirred old feelings.
"Are you sure you're not hurt?", he asked, trying and failing to resist her. She'd been at his side in silent support this whole time and asked nothing in return. Maybe, this once, it would be okay if he just…
Persephone blushed lightly as he gently tilted her chin in his fingers. She hadn't seen that look in his eyes since they had been interrupted when Pandora vanished. "Kalego?", she whispered, waiting for him to make his choice. A small grin crossed his lips as they pressed against hers. Leaning into him, she closed her eye, thankful for his affection. She'd given him his space. This was his decision and she couldn't be happier.
That afternoon, Kalego began his assigned duties. His first stop was the Asmodeus mansion. Shichiro was also worried for his student, so he had come along to check on him. Once the butler had shown them in, Amu came to greet them. She didn't have her usual playful aura, deeply concerned for her son.
"Thank you both for coming. Alice-chan has been a mess and he won't come out of his room... I don't think he's eaten since yesterday", she stated sullenly. Both teachers held a serious air, as well. Surely the boy had been traumatized by the sight of his best friend's arm bursting into a spray of blood.
When Azzkun had gotten home late the day before, his mother panicked at the sight of his thoroughly stained clothing. He looked badly shaken. David, their butler, assured her it wasn't Alice's blood and filled her in from what Kalego had told him. Azz didn't say a word, simply staring tearfully at the ground. He felt so weak and useless; He couldn't protect his soul mate.
Amu embraced him warmly, knowing how upset he was, and for once, he hugged her back tightly. He'd completely broken down as they slid to the floor and he cried into her shoulder for nearly an hour. After getting cleaned up, he had been in seclusion ever since.
Balam volunteered to try talking to him. David showed him the way to Azz's room while Kalego and Amu talked about the tragic event. He answered all of her questions earnestly. Secrets were what had caused the disaster and he wasn't going to hide any more. All he could do was trust that Shichiro could bring their student back from the proverbial dead.
Deeper inside the mansion, Balam gently knocked on Azz's door. David stared with hope nearby, worried for his young master.
"Go away", drifted a broken voice from within. "Azzkun, it's Balam-sensei", ventured Shichiro carefully. It grew deathly quiet. After a tense moment, the door slowly creaked open, exposing a single worn, red eye.
"Master? Why are you here?", asked Azz, clearly exhausted. Balam offered sympathy with his eyes. He also looked tired, but not nearly as bad off.
"May I come in?", he inquired. After a brief stare, Asmodeus ceded, stepping away from the door that separated them. Slowly stepping in, Balam looked around. The room had been utterly trashed. After all, the Asmodeus line was known for destruction. He wondered if his pupil had released a temporary wicked phase under the stress until too exhausted to continue.
Azzkun sat on the edge of his bed, staring darkly into his hands, recalling how much of Iruma's blood had coated them. Balam's heart ached for him. He knew Azzkun hadn't dealt with something so heavy before and, like Kalego, was trying to go it alone.
"Wanna talk?", ventured Balam. Azz said nothing. Sitting beside him, Balam waited patiently. After several minutes of quiet, he put a gentle hand on his student's shoulder.
"Iruma-kun is going to be okay. Nene-sama and Lamya-sensei really worked a miracle… I doubt it'll even leave any scars", he offered.
Azzkun froze, breathlessly hopeful. Could it possibly be true? His master wasn't the type to lie, even to cheer someone up. Asmodeus slowly looked over with tears of relief.
Slowly collecting himself, he eagerly grabbed his master's hand. "When can I see Iruma-sama?! Is he in pain?!", he blurted. Balam softened his gaze with a hidden grin as he patted his pupil's head. Alice would be okay, too.
"I don't think Sullivan-sama is going to allow visitors for a while, but I'll make sure he calls you after he wakes up", replied Balam. Azz stared in conflicted emotions. He could understand Sullivan being protective, but he desperately wanted to see Iruma in one piece again with his own eyes.
Sensing his hope slip away, Balam made a hard decision. He told his student the truth. He told him about Victoria, Kalego, and Robin. He even explained the strange insect. Finally understanding why and how Iruma had been so badly hurt, Asmodeus grit his teeth, determined to burn Victoria Ai to a crisp.
After he managed to calm down, he asked several questions. Learning about all of the horrible things Ai had done over the years, Azz felt sick. She'd hurt so many people. Iruma was just her most recent victim. She'd dare to hurt him and seemed fixated on their teachers. Azz had grown attached to his master and Pandora was one more person he needed to protect now that he knew who she really was.
"Are you alright?", asked Balam, concerned. It was an awful lot to take in at once. Asmodeus still looked pale, but a fire now burned in his eyes. He was angry. Getting his student to face him, Balam took a serious tone.
"Don't do anything stupid. Leave Victoria to us adults. You're no match for her and if something happens to you, Iruma-kun will be devastated. Stay home and be safe. That's the fastest route to seeing him again."
Azzkun met his gaze evenly. He understood perfectly, but he couldn't change how he felt. Balam knew him well. Simply telling him to stay out of it wouldn't be enough. He sighed, ready to make a deal.
"If Pan-chan sends us a photo of Iruma's progress, will you promise me to stay home?... No acting on your own this time; You must absolutely keep this promise", he ventured.
Azzkun lit up at the thought of seeing Iruma, even if he was asleep. He nodded fervently. A phone call and a few minutes later, Pandora sent the photo. Iruma was resting peacefully, both arms attached. Nene grinned with a victory sign beside him.
Asmodeus finally smiled, tears on his face. He was so relieved and so very grateful. Taking his master's phone, he hastily sent the picture to his own. Then he stared as he hesitated, unsure if Clara was okay. If he sent her that picture, would she feel better or was she still as lost as he was less than an hour before?
As Balam carefully took his phone back, he comprehended what he was thinking. "We're going to Valac's house next", he stated. Asmodeus smiled lightly, thankful to be understood. After a brief moment, he asked, "Do you want me to come with you?".
Balam grinned faintly at the offer. Azzkun was a good friend. Still, he shook his head. "Victoria has her sights on you, too. It's too dangerous. You promised to stay home, remember?", he said. Asmodeus nodded reluctantly. He would keep his promise.
In the other room, Amu stared sadly at Kalego. It was a bad situation for everyone. A moment later, they both looked up as Balam stepped in with Asmodeus in front of him, gripped supportively at the shoulders. Alice blushed as his mother smiled in relief. "I'm sorry for trouble", he said coyly.
Letting go, Balam stepped aside as Amu cuddled her son in relief. Kalego sent him a grateful grin. He knew Shichiro could bring Asmodeus back. When Azzkun finally wriggled free from his mother, he sent his teacher a complex look. There was so much he wanted to say.
"Asmodeus". "Sensei". Their exchange was brief and tense. Kalego was readying himself to give the formal apology, but he stared in surprise as Azz bowed deeply.
"Sensei, thank you for helping to save Iruma-sama's life!", he said with feeling. He remembered how Kalego had jumped into action to stem the blood flow and he knew that it was his teacher who had called Lady Nene to the scene. The two of them, along with Lamya-sensei, had saved Iruma from certain death by hemorrhage.
Balam grinned softly behind his mask, proud of how mature Azzkun was behaving. Even Amu covered her mouth in surprise. As Azz stood to his full height, he said, "I am in your debt."
Kalego glanced at his best friend. Apologizing now would be awkward. Stepping in, Balam cleared his throat, gathering attention. "The principal sent us here today to make sure you were okay, Azzkun, but Kalego-kun also has something to say."
With the air cleared, Kalego got to his feet and bowed to the Asmodeus family. "I offer my deepest sympathies for causing such trouble", he said. Asmodeus faltered. He'd never imagined he'd ever hear Kalego apologize to a student.
"It wasn't your fault! It's Victoria's!", he said awkwardly yet fervently. Both Kalego and Amu looked at Balam in shock. "Just how much did you tell him?", asked Kalego carefully. Shichiro shied his gaze and muttered, "Everything", nervously scratching his head.
Kalego dropped his face into his palm, annoyed. He felt there was no reason to further involve their students. Sensing his teacher's unease, Asmodeus stepped forward.
"Sensei, master - I know this whole ordeal wasn't meant to involve us students, but I will protect your secrets to my grave if I have to. You two have given me back everything. The least I can do is try to repay your kindness", he offered.
The look in his eyes was serious. He meant every word. Balam inherently knew that. He was glad he'd trusted him. Kalego slowly met Azz's eyes with a genuine, "Thank you." The rest of the abnormal class would never hear of his painful past. It was safe from the gossip mill of Babylus. Had it gotten out, both his career and reputation would have been shattered.
After a few more words and goodbyes, the teachers were ready to leave for Clara's house. As they stepped outside, Asmodeus called out one last time. "Sensei! Please thank Lamya-sensei and Nene-sama for me." They nodded with a grin and set out to put their next pupil back together.
Deep in the forest, a bit later, Kalego and Shichiro stared at the Valac home. It seemed unnaturally quiet for the usually rambunctious family. Shichiro glanced at his friend in concern. Kalego looked tense. Just how bad was this going to be?
They knocked and Urara answered the door. He looked relieved to see them. "Please come in", he offered. As they did, Kalego looked around in question. He preferred the quiet, but this silence was stifling.
Urara showed them to their seats and went to fetch his mother. Konchie and Keebow peeked in. Seeing it was their chance, they hurried over to their visitors.
"Kalego-sensei, are you to fix sis? She's been acting really weird", said one. "Yeah, she's been scary quiet", said the other. Kalego held an even expression as he looked at them. They were clearly worried for Clara. "I'll do what I can", he offered, unsure he could revive her usual antics. He would miss the lack of noise, but this was his duty.
Clara's mother stepped in with a grateful smile. "Oh my, you are here. Thank you so much for waiting", she said. "I hope the boys aren't bothering you", she ventured. Balam kindly replied, "No, they weren't. They were just telling us about Clara." Her mother's smile fell.
"I've never seen her so upset", she said sullenly. "Sensei, please come with me", she ventured, turning, but waiting for him to follow. Balam sent Kalego a supportive glance. He'd keep the other kids busy. As Kalego followed Valac's mom out back, Urara returned to rein in his siblings.
In the backyard, Clara was sitting with her back against the house and her knees pulled to her chest. Her baby sisters were desperately trying to play with her, wanting to cheer her up. Their mother gathered the little ones and headed back inside with a hopeful look to Kalego.
Once alone, he quietly sat beside Clara. She slowly turned to look at him, surprised by his presence. He stared stoically into the distance, unable to meet her swollen, red eyes. She'd been crying a lot.
"I came to tell you that Iruma will be fine. Nene-sama and Lamya-sensei successfully mended his arm… He's in no mortal danger", he stated. Clara's eyes watered with hope.
"You wouldn't lie to me, would you sensei?", she uttered meekly. Meeting her gaze, he tried to convey sympathy through his eyes. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and showed her the photo Pandora had taken. Clara stared breathlessly for a moment and then the tears started again, but this time, they were happy tears.
Launching herself into a hug, she sobbed into Kalego's coat. "Seeenseeiii", she cried, just like yesterday. Taking a deep breath, he let her cry with a gentle hand on top of her head. He wasn't pushing her away just yet, knowing she needed this.
After a few minutes, he carefully extricated himself from her arms. "Balam-sensei and I have already been to see Asmodeus. I don't think Sullivan-sama will allow visitors for a while, so I suggest you lean on him in the meantime", he said.
She grinned gratefully, glad Azzkun was feeling better, too. "I will ask Iruma to call both of you when he can, but be patient. He's still healing", he stated calmly. She nodded, eager to see him.
"I was so scared", she said in a broken tone. "I don't know what I'd do if Irumachi didn't make it", she stated sullenly. Offering a pat to her head, Kalego tried to grin for her.
"I can't explain all of the reasons for what happened, but I am partly responsible. For that, I'm sorry", he said. Clara stared at him in question. What was he hiding? Still, she would be forever grateful for her teacher's help in saving her soul mate. With a subtle smile, she sincerely said, "Thank you for saving him."
She didn't ask many questions after that. She wasn't sure she could handle it, so she gratefully accepted the partial answers given to her. After promising to cheer up for the sake of her family, they headed inside.
Kalego stared from the doorway with an eye twitch. Clara's younger siblings had tied up Balam and were happily standing on him with a flag, proclaiming their victory over the monster. He knew Shichiro was far too nice to deny them a game. Under his mask, Balam grinned sheepishly, knowing Kalego was annoyed.
"A little help?", he ventured. Smirking, Kalego replied, "You got yourself into that mess. Get yourself out." He was genuinely amused by the prospect of watching his friend wiggle free. "So mean", thought Balam, making a tearful face.
Coming to his rescue, Clara's mother removed her children from the bound demon. Urara glared at their raucous behavior as he entered the room. "Honestly...Tying up a guest? Have you no shame?", he grumbled.
As Clara untied the knots, Balam sat up. "It's okay. I told them we could play whatever they wanted", he said shyly. "Of course they chose to slay the monster", sighed Urara. He had gone to another room for a few brief minutes and had come back to the scene.
Clara's mom offered her apologies as Balam got to his feet. He assured her there was no harm done. As he talked to the kids, she turned her attention to Kalego. She was so glad to see Clara grinning and eager to play with her siblings as they laughed nearby.
"Thank you for cheering her up", she smiled. Kalego grinned lightly. "It was nothing", he said. Taking a more serious tone, he offered his apology and sympathies for what had happened. Misses Valac knew there was a lot of missing information, but she was just glad to have Clara back.
Hearing that Iruma would make a full recovery warmed her heart. She assured she would pass along his apology, knowing Kalego was eager to escape the noise around them. "I can imagine this wasn't easy for you, so you don't have to make a grand display for Clara. Just look at her. She's already starting to shine again and that's good enough for me", she offered.
Kalego grinned in thanks. He was looking forward to getting back. It was late afternoon now and he still had to go home for his things before reporting to Sullivan. Once they moved Iruma, he would be bound to the mansion for a while.
The family happily waved them off from the door. Back on the road, Balam observed his friend carefully. Something was different. Maybe Kalego was simply relieved to have completed this duty, but there was something else. Then he recalled the morning and near assassination of Persephone. Remembering how they had quietly sneaked out from the room, it dawned on him.
Smiling quietly to himself, he decided it best not to be the one to bring it up. Still, he hoped he was right. "What are you grinning about?", asked Kalego with a glance. Mask or not, he knew Shichiro well enough to guess his expression. "Nothing", said Balam, innocently. "Hmph." Kalego already knew.
At Victoria's hidden home, she held an irritatingly pleasant smile as Kiriwo glared at her. She'd nearly killed Iruma. If anyone was going that, it would be him.
Baal stared with a mild look of disapproval. "Your arrow missed", he stated. Ai continued to grin as she said, "No, it didn't." Explaining, she said, "I knew Sullivan and Nene would likely save Persephone. The arrow was only a message. They took Bars back from me, but I don't need him. I was just sending him off, you see, and Nene is a well known swordsman. I calculated that she would use her katana to deflect or split the arrowhead. Doing so would release the toxin inside into the environment. By the time they realize it was all according to plan, it'll be too late. Lamya was never the intended target, merely a vessel to deliver my poison to that pesky master of hers. In a few days, Nene will fall horribly ill. Without her, their little group will have little chance of removing Kalego-kun's curses and she'll be unable to further heal either Iruma or Robin. "
Both of her guests grinned, intrigued. She was brilliantly evil. "What about Lamya? She's a healer, too", said Kiriwo, curious. Victoria blushed lightly as she pictured her grand scheme playing out.
"She is, but nowhere near her master's level. She'll be utterly distraught when she realizes she's powerless to save Nene. She'll break down and Kalego-kun will try to hold her together while I feed on their shared misery...and when the time is right, I'll activate Pandora's final curse. It'll destroy their whole group. They won't have time to conjure a plan to defeat me. I've already won. It's just a matter of time before I claim his heart for a meal. Then it's on to Narnia."
She inadvertently drooled at the thought of finally devouring her precious Naberius. Her twisted expression enticed Kiriwo as he thought of tasting Iruma's flesh, wondering what humans tasted like. He could see now why Baal had brought him along. They were going to get along just fine.
To be continued...