Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 24
As evening fell, it was time to move to the planned barrier. Sullivan's carriage held the belongings of those coming along as Nene and Persephone completed their warding. They had been so thorough that they could potentially drive past someone and they wouldn't see or hear anything. As an added layer of protection, Kalego waited to place a barrier over it.
Everyone stared as the chair demon approached, carrying his beloved grandson with the utmost care. Opera held the door to the carriage open as they grew near as Bachiko walked beside them, keeping her eyes and ears open. She wasn't taking any chances, knowing what Victoria was capable of.
Robin smiled softly as Sullivan and Opera nestled Iruma safely inside. It seemed like things were going well. Once the door was closed, Kalego begrudgingly sat next to his senpai in the driver's seat. Focusing, he cast the barrier.
Inside, Iruma rested peacefully beside his grandfather while Pandora watched over them. She could no longer fly, so it was safest for her inside. After all, she was still in recovery. The others would make their own way to the mansion, all while keeping a keen eye out for trouble.
Balam, Persephone, and Nene would watch from above while Bachiko guarded directly upon the vehicle's roof. Her focus lingered briefly on Robin as they pulled away. He waved them off with a smile. He wouldn't be much use right now, so he stayed behind to keep watch over the school just in case Victoria decided to rummage through its files, looking for secrets. Other teachers had previously been notified to answer immediately should he call for backup.
Twilight succumbed to darkness as they arrived at the principal's home. Both Opera and Kalego kept a guarded watch as the carriage came to a stop. The ride had been unexpectedly calm and quiet. They wondered what Victoria was up to, not realizing she already had a way to get to them from within.
Once stopped, Sullivan erected a powerful barrier that surrounded the entire mansion from all directions, including the sky and the ground. One by one, the others each raised a hand in focus, adding their mana to it. Once completed, it was nearly impenetrable. With a nod, Balam and Kalego went to survey its strength while Sullivan and Opera took Iruma inside.
A while later, everyone sat down to a late dinner. No one spoke much, uneasy at how smooth the transport had gone. It didn't feel right as if Ai was just trying to lull them into a false sense of security.
Thankfully, the mansion was large enough to accommodate all its guests with their own rooms. They were strategically placed to observe and defend from any attack with a balance of power. Shichiro and Persephone were in one area, physical and magical strength. Kalego and Pandora in another, overwhelming anger and the ability to calm.
Meanwhile, Bachiko had only agreed to stay until Iruma was awake and stable, knowing Robin still needed her. Thus she was closer to his room. Finally, Nene had been placed next to Opera where they could keep an eye on her. Undoubtedly she would sneak off to Sullivan's chambers under the cover of darkness given the chance.
Unable to sleep, Bachiko sat beside her star pupil, watching him rest. His fever was finally starting to wane. She was grateful for the healers and, begrudgingly, Kalego as well. Initially, she had blamed him for everything that happened to both Iruma and Robin, but after a long talk with her relative, she was starting to feel sorry for him.
Each demon settled into their quarters, most restless through the night. They had made it to the security of a barrier. They were safe...so why did something feel so wrong?
Eventually, Shichiro sought out his best friend. Kalego had offered to take the first watch and could likely use the company. Balam found him staring darkly out a hall window. He seemed fixated on the shadows outside, carefully scanning for any movement. He knew that Opera had thoroughly sealed off the basement in addition to the spherical barrier, just to be safe, so he wasn't concerned about it as a weak point.
Shichiro stepped closer, careful not to spook his friend in the quiet gloom. Without looking at him, Kalego ventured, "Couldn't sleep?". Balam stood beside him, looking out into the night as well. "Not really", he replied.
Chasing off the silence, he said, "The others are already resting." Kalego grinned faintly, glad for that. They needed Persephone and Nene at their best, and Pandora simply deserved the reprieve. Deciding to taunt his friend, he gained a sneaky smirk.
"I thought maybe you sneaked off to Pandora's room", he teased. Balam froze, blushing deeply. He was far more of a gentleman than that. In fact, both he and his beloved were rather shy. He knew that's why Kalego teased him. They'd finally gotten their friend back after twenty years and Shichiro had barely moved past a thankful kiss.
Seeing him start to fidget, Kalego grinned. "Relax, I'm only kidding", he said, calming his friend. He knew they would be slow to get started. It would be cute if it wasn't so irritating to watch. Balam sighed, mentally spent. Kalego knew just how to push him.
It got quiet for a while as they looked into the night. Eventually, they started walking, making their guard rounds. Kalego could tell Shichiro had something on his mind by the way he kept looking over.
"What is it?", he asked flatly. Seeing Balam coyly glance away, he knew the answer. He knew this conversation was unavoidable. "No, we haven't gotten back together...officially", he admitted. Shichiro lit up with anticipation. "Officially?", he inquired with interest. Kalego smirked at his tone. "It was just one kiss", he stated calmly.
It would be fair for Shichiro to dig into him, getting even for his earlier taunting, but Balam just smiled happily in support. "That's great", he offered cheerfully. Kalego had his arms crossed again, a sure sign he was feeling vulnerable. "Don't get too excited", he said, a trace of pain in his voice.
Balam looked over with concern. "You don't want to get back together with Persephone?", he asked, trying to understand. The pink tinge of Kalego's face seemed to argue with that question. Avoiding his friend's gaze, he grumbled, "It's complicated."
Kalego paused when he realized Balam had stopped keeping pace. Shichiro was staring at him with a lot of silent questions. Kalego sighed with his hand to his hand, annoyed with the invasion of his privacy, but he understood his friend's concern.
"You still love her, don't you?", asked Shichiro carefully. Seeing Kalego tense, he knew that wasn't the issue. The problem was that he did still care, too much, but with Victoria on the loose, it was just too risky. He was trying to keep his distance from Persephone precisely because he still loved her. Visions of her near death in the past still haunted him. He could easily see the blood drained from her slit throat… He couldn't go through that again.
Sensing his thought process, Shichiro relented. Coyly scratching his head, he dropped the subject.
"It's pretty late. Why don't you turn in? I'll take over", he offered. Kalego grinned in thanks. He was exhausted. Agreeing, he said they would see each other in the morning and stalked off to his room to battle his thoughts. With any luck, his mind might quiet enough to let him rest.
Elsewhere in the mansion, Bachiko looked over in question as Iruma's door slowly opened. Sullivan and Opera worriedly peeked in to check on the boy. Seeing he was still fast asleep, they nodded to her in thanks and left just as quietly. Glancing at her pupil, she grinned to herself. He had a great family.
Hours later, Bachiko was starting to nod off. A plaintive groan startled her awake. Iruma was beginning to stir. His face flinched in pain as he tried to move. The sheer agony jolted him fully awake.
His breath hissed in anguish as he clutched his heavily bandaged arm. His whole body hurt, but that limb was almost screaming. Ready for the possibility, Nene had left a dose of herbs at his bedside. Hurrying to steady him, Bachiko grabbed the medicine.
"Iruma, take this. It'll taste bad, but it helps", she said. Desperate for relief from the increasing pain, he stuffed the herbs into his mouth followed by a large drink of water. He downed the entire cup in one go. Bachiko eagerly refilled it from the pitcher Opera had left. After chugging a second glass of water, Iruma panted, catching his breath. Why was he so thirsty?
His eyes quivered as he recalled what happened. Such blood loss would explain his dehydration. Trying to make sense of everything, he carefully held his wounded arm close. He remembered the rupture and the excruciating torment of his flesh tearing itself apart from the inside, but how it had been pieced back together or how he'd gotten home was blank.
Glancing at Bachiko, he smiled weakly. "Master, what are you doing here?", he asked. He recognized his bedroom, but had no idea how long he'd been within it.
Bachiko smiled with grateful tears in her eyes. Hugging him tightly, she uttered, "Don't scare me like that." Glad she had avoided his injury, he returned her embrace with his good arm. It was strange seeing this side of her, but it warmed his heart to see how much she truly cared.
Letting go, she looked into his eyes as if evaluating him. "How do you feel?", she asked, pressing her hand over his forehead to check his temperature. Iruma's smile faltered as he glanced at his devastated limb. "It hurts...What happened?"
Her eyes quivered at his dejected tone. He really didn't understand or remember. "Victoria happened", said Bachiko darkly, withdrawing her hand. Iruma looked at her in surprise. He hadn't made the connection. "But how?", he uttered, confused and still hazy. His master offered a kind grin. "Go back to sleep. Your grandpa will explain everything in the morning."
Sensing he wasn't going to get any answers, he gave in. Everything ached so badly. It would be better to sleep through it if possible. Bachiko tucked him back in as he tried to get comfortable. He could easily see the sadness behind her smile. She had been very worried about him.
The next day, everyone gathered to the sight of Sullivan tearfully hugging his grandson. "Iruma-kun!", he sobbed happily. He was so relieved to see him finally awake. Iruma was still rather weak, so he couldn't walk unassisted, but Opera was both careful and patient in helping him. Soon they would have two patients for physical therapy.
Iruma smiled nervously at the anxious faces around him. Even Kalego smiled faintly in relief. Balam fussed over Iruma when it was his turn while Sullivan reluctantly waited for another loving cuddle.
"You had us all pretty worried", stated Nene with a peaceful grin. Iruma could see just how dark her wings had gotten. They were nearly pitch black now with only a few, sparse silver feathers remaining. He was worried about that. If she fell into a wicked phase, would she be able to safely stay alongside them?
Persephone stepped close, inspecting the boy. She checked the clarity of his eyes, the color of his tongue, his pulse, and even peeked under his arm's binding for any changes. It was still purple, but the swelling was slowly going down. She smiled supportively as he nervously stared at her. He was still getting used to her as a doctor instead of a drill sergeant.
"You look pretty well, all things considered", she stated. She looked pleased with his progress. Bachiko had told them of his midnight revival. Nene was smart to leave the herbs at the ready and she was grateful for that.
Iruma glanced at his master, wondering how well she was handling everything that had happened. As if invited, she took her turn in front of the boy. She had a steely look in her eyes. "I'm cutting you some slack until your arm gets better, but you're going to train twice as hard after", she grinned. He smiled back with a brief nod in agreement.
Once the fuss settled down and the group scattered, Kalego told Iruma about what he had missed. Iruma was naturally anxious to call his friends, but had been told to sit still until Persephone was done. She changed his bandages and was holding her hands over his limb. A soft light was emitted from her palms. It felt warm and comforting, easing away his pain as his tissue mended.
She had also done some explaining. She told him about how they had undone the damage. Iruma was very impressed with Nene's skill as well as Persephone's. His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm while she spoke of the spell. Still, he had to understand that his arm would take time to heal fully. He smiled genuinely in relief when she told him his hand would make a full recovery. He would still be an archer.
When the subject of the insect had come up, it was Kalego's turn to explain again. Iruma didn't know just how involved Robin-sensei had been that day, but he was relieved to know that his teacher was finally free from Victoria's marionette strings and that he was already healing, as well.
His eyes then settled over his homeroom teacher. With a supportive glance from Persephone, Kalego begrudgingly answered the boy's questions. He had left out several details for posterity, but Iruma was finally getting an idea of Victoria's and Kalego's intertwined past.
When the stories were over, he grinned in gratitude. "Thank you for telling me, sensei...I promise none of this will leave this room", he said fervently. Kalego stared, glad for the understanding. He knew Iruma and Asmodeus would likely discuss it in private once they figured out they both knew, but he was placing his trust in them to keep his secrets.
"Um, sensei? There's one thing I don't understand", uttered Iruma shyly. "What is it?", asked Kalego evenly. Seeing the furtive glance at Persephone, he figured it out pretty quickly. Iruma wanted to know about their past. The two of them were fairly similar and Lamya-sensei's sudden appearance couldn't have been an accident among everything that was going on.
Persephone grinned politely. "You can call me Persephone outside of school", she said. Iruma nodded, glad to get to know her better. "I kind of figured you and sensei were good friends. You work together really well", he ventured. Kalego hid a grin, ceding, "Something like that."
"You've met Pandora?", asked Persephone. Iruma nodded. "I'm her cousin", she explained. Iruma smiled brightly, seeing the connection between the four adults. Balam, Kalego, Pandora, and Persephone were intimately connected. Realizing that and thinking over his teacher's last response, he blushed suddenly, putting it together. Glancing over, Kalego was glaring in warning as if to say, "Don't ask, you nosy brat."
Changing the subject, Iruma asked where Balam and Pandora were. "Probably reading or drawing", shrugged Persephone. She wasn't worried about their absence, knowing how shy they both were and that they would be respectful of their current location within the chair demon's home. Plus, she trusted Shichiro to keep her precious cousin safe should an attack occur.
After his treatment and another round of cuddling from Sullivan, Iruma sat in his room, staring apprehensively at his phone. "Aren't you going to call them, Iru-boy?", asked a familiar voice. Ali-san was peeking over his shoulder. Iruma was glad to see him. Had it been his right arm that exploded, he may have lost his ring.
"Ali-san, I'm glad you're okay", said Iruma with a grin. His partner stared at him in strained silence. "A-ali-san?" The spirit of his ring seemed to smile. Gently patting Iruma's head, he sincerely said, "I'm glad you're okay, too."
After a brief moment of mutual appreciation, Iruma dialed his phone. He nearly fell over at the explosive volume that answered. "Iruma-sama!!!", shouted Asmodeus, overjoyed to be in contact. "Are you alright? Is everything okay?" Azz sounded worried, but that was expected. Smiling nervously, Iruma tried to calm him.
"I'm okay, Azzkun. Nene-sama and Lamya-sensei did a really great job with my arm. They said it should be back to normal in a few weeks." On the other end of the call, tears of relief ran down Azz's face. He'd been so terrified that he might never see Iruma again. The thought of attending his funeral nearly destroyed him. "I'm so glad", he uttered in a near broken tone.
Knowing how shaken they must be, Iruma asked. "Are you and Clara okay?". The line got quiet, then Azz spoke with kindness. "Master Balam and Kalego-sensei came to see us both to make sure of that." Iruma was a little surprised, but happy to hear that.
"We were both so worried", stated Asmodeus. He sounded so far away with those words. He was clearly still working through it. The last thing Iruma remembered of the traumatic event besides his shock and agony was the look on his friends' faces as he collapsed. They looked just as horrified as he was.
"Have you called Clara yet?", asked Azz, concerned by the long pause as Iruma recalled everything. Jumping to attention, Iruma tried to sound like his usual happy self. "I was going to call her next, then the president", he said. Azz relaxed a little at his tone. His prized soulmate was back. "Let us know when we can come see you. We're all looking forward to it."
After a bit of reassurance from both sides, Azzkun would only hang up after Iruma promised to rest and take good care of himself.
Iruma called Clara next. She was both excited and relieved to hear from him. They spoke for some time, each ensuring the other was alright. When he spoke to Ameri after that, it became clear she had very little information.
"Iruma! Are you alright?! What in the world happened? Balam-sensei said you broke your arm?!", she panicked. She wasn't nearly as loud as his soul mates, but she sounded just as concerned. Iruma smiled softly, glad to hear her voice. "Ameri-san, I'm okay. What did sensei tell you?", he asked carefully.
She paused, upset. "Nothing", she stated. "Even Opera-san didn't give any details...Does this have anything to do with the school closing? What is going on? Everyone is looking to me for answers and I can't give them anything."
Iruma's grin fell at her tone. She sounded understandably frustrated. The student council president should be able to calm her peers, but she was struggling to do that without any answers. He wanted to ask if her father had said anything, but he knew that would only raise suspicion.
Finally, he said, "It was an accident. It was my fault; I wasn't paying attention." He lied for the secrecy of his sensei. He would fill in Azz and Clara later. "What happened?", asked Ameri again. Thinking quickly, Iruma weaved a quick story.
"Do you remember how I spoke that really dangerous spell on my first day? Well, this time, I messed up." He did his best to sound embarrassed. He didn't like lying to Ameri, but he'd made a promise to Kalego that he intended to keep.
"Why would you do that?!", spat the president, "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Honestly, I can't belive you'd be that stupid!" She sounded exasperated, but his lie seemed to be working. He apologized profusely over the next half hour as she chewed him out for such foolishness.
When he finally hung up, he sighed, mentally spent. Ali-san stared at him, impressed. "That was quite the story", he said. Iruma jolted in place. Of course, Ali-san knew the truth. He had been there and heard every conversation since.
Iruma smiled meekly. He wasn't going to cause Ameri to worry any more than necessary. Even if she was irritated with him, it was worth her peace of mind. He couldn't tell her about Victoria or the awful things that had been haunting both his teachers and the school. If it meant keeping her safe and keeping his promise, he would gladly accept her ire.
To be continued...