Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 29
Balam spent several hours working alongside Persephone in detailed research. They had to crack the antidote. Nene was slipping away fast while Opera quietly watched them from her bedside, anxious for a cure.
"What about this one?", ventured Shichiro, offering an herb. Persephone shook her head. "It won't be enough without a powerful catalyst", she said. Silence took over as they thought about their remaining options.
"If Pan-chan is strong enough, we can extract a sample of her blood, or even from Robin. They might have some form of antibody we can use", she uttered, thinking aloud. Balam shifted uneasily. Well aware of his discomfort, she looked up at him.
"You're not considering Iruma's offer, are you? He's just a child and he's lost more than enough blood already", she argued. Opera's cat ears perked at the mention. Sullivan had told them about what they had missed. It was Iruma's nature to put himself in harm's way, after all.
"Iruma-sama offered his blood?", they asked. Their eyes never left Nene's pale face, but their cat ears flattened in thought.
Persephone paused as she carefully chose her words. Undoubtedly Opera would already know Iruma's secret and the way Balam was acting, she was certain it was safe to discuss with him, too.
"He's human, right? It would explain why his blood could potentially heal the fallen", she said evenly. Opera's eyes widened as they met her stern gaze. Resuming their usual calm expression, they grinned faintly. It was no surprise she would figure it out given time.
"Don't worry. Kalego-kun doesn't know yet and I can help keep it that way if it's in Iruma's best interest...but I have to ask. What was Lord Sullivan thinking?", she inquired.
Behind her, Balam had calmed a little, glad to know Iruma had more high ranked demons on his side. He was curious, too. Looking between them, there was no point in hiding the truth any longer. Opera met their inquisitive eyes evenly.
"I once asked him the same thing. Sullivan-sama can be whimsical, but he always has a reason for doing things the way he does...I didn't understand his choice at first either, but I've started to."
Persephone softened her gaze. "He's a good kid. No one's denying that, but him living here is incredibly dangerous", she said. Opera nodded briefly in agreement. They were well aware.
"Did he ever tell you about the king of the valley incident, Balam-kun?", they ventured. Shichiro nervously scratched his head as he thought it over. "A little", he replied. Opera grinned warmly as they remembered.
"The beast's young had an injured leg. He managed to heal a demon twice his size with a single drop of blood", they stated. Both Balam and Persephone stared, impressed.
"So, a human's blood is truly that robust?...That explains Victoria's unusual level of power. If she's been eating them as she says, then she'll be harder to stop than we thought… That aside, if it only takes one drop, the risk to Iruma would be minimal", she said, voicing her thoughts.
She glanced at Balam for his approval. Averting his gaze, he wasn't keen to ask the boy for such a favor, but if it could save their friends' lives and leave no lasting damage to Iruma himself, he would consider such a plan. He reluctantly conceded.
"Of course no one outside this mansion will ever learn of this. If this works, Kalego will keep the secret of the miracle cure to his grave...I know you're trying to hide the truth from him, Opera-san, but he deserves a little more credit than that, don't you think?", said Persephone.
Opera grinned faintly. It was true that Kalego could be and had been entrusted with many of Sullivan's secrets over the years and he wasn't so stupid as to miss all of the obvious clues. Just being summoned as Iruma's familiar was cause enough for thought.
"I will leave that decision to Lord Sullivan. I'll abide by whatever he chooses", said Opera. Balam smiled in relief. Iruma had far more allies than he realized and he knew Sullivan would make a fair decision. The only one they had to hide the truth from now, it seemed, was Vincente.
A little later, Persephone had left Balam to discuss things with Sullivan and Opera in private. She knew the old demon would take Iruma's wishes into consideration on the matter.
With Nene well tended, she made her way to her next patient. She gently opened Kalego's door. Seeing him fast asleep put a small smile on her lips. She was careful not to wake him as she sat by his side. His breathing was a little shallow, but regular.
Carefully tugging his collar loose, she examined his neck. The purple lines were barely visible there, except around his mark. Without further examination, she had to assume the lines were mostly limited to his arm for now.
Watching him sleep, her thoughts began to wander. They had made up in a way, but they weren't exactly together, either. The past stung, but she understood his reasons. Still, she had already forgiven him.
Softly kissing his lips, she absorbed a small amount of dark mana from his curses before leaving him to rest. She'd give him any edge she could against the toxin, no matter how slight.
Somewhere far away, Victoria was finishing another party among the criminal underworld. Bored, she left the crowd to find someone more interesting. She grinned to herself at the sight of Baal poking about her private collection.
Bottles of blood, preserved heads, and other biological samples decorated her laboratory. He seemed intrigued by one such head. Floating in its jar, it looked as if its owner were merely asleep. Coming up beside him, Ai leaned sensually against his body.
"That fool never saw it coming until it was too late...You should have heard Lady Levi scream when she discovered his decapitated corpse", she chuckled in amusement. "She tried to warn him, but her precious son thought he could 'fix' me… That look of complete, grief fueled agony upon her face was truly exquisite", she said, blushing as smiled sadistically.
Baal smirked at her fervor. "It isn't easy to take something so personal from one of the esteemed greats", he grinned.
Turning to face Victoria, he took her hand with a faux bow. "May I have this dance?", he asked with a wicked smile. Ai returned his expression. The party's music could be well heard even here. "Of course. To a promising partnership", she said.
The dark duo waltzed to the distant sound of a piano as if amid a formal ballroom while surrounded by her grotesque trophies and experiments. When the music ended, they followed proper etiquette with a bow.
The fun over, their minds returned to work. Retreating to an adjacent office, they stood beside one another, looking over the stolen student files that Kiriwo had retrieved.
Ix Elisabetta. Her power would be useful in getting new recruits. Shax Lied. He'd make a valuable ally in the spy world. Agares Picero. They could make good use of his abilities in creating and maintaining new hideouts and tunnels. Lastly, Andro Jazz. A master thief in training was an obvious choice.
"What about this one?", asked Baal, looking uncertainly over Allocer's file. Victoria seemed vaguely interested, knowing who his master was. "He would be good for gathering intelligence", she agreed. Baal smirked as he considered how to convert their prospects.
Victoria stretched idly. "I know your nephew is off limits, but I still think we should have taken his file if not the entire class. It would look less suspicious for you", she said. Baal disagreed. "That's something they would expect. Azazel can be manipulated, but he isn't incompetent", he retorted.
Ai cared little about the growing new project. New allies weren't the focus of her passion. All she really wanted was her fun with Kalego. Unable to get to him directly just yet, she decided to play with someone closer. Leaning over, she hugged Baal from behind, sliding her hand up his chest beneath his shirt.
"I'm bored. Shall we kill some time?", she flirted, flickering her forked tongue across his ear. He grinned amusedly as he ignored her advances. "I told you before - projects first", he said calmly, but she wasn't giving up just yet.
Preparing to bite as she leaned into him, she paused millimeters from his neck. A small spark of lightning crackled over his skin in warning. "You're no fun", she muttered, releasing him. Sitting on the edge of the desk, she crossed her arms in irritation as she looked away. She wasn't used to not getting her way.
"You're not obtaining any of my blood. Don't forget our agreement", he said, still reading. Pouting, she left him to his research. Nearly half an hour later, he finally closed the last folder.
She watched him with intrigue. "Happy?", she muttered. He grinned at her sour mood. "For now." Stepping near her, he pulled her close by her waist.
"Now that work is finished, we can...talk", he smirked. She smiled at his confidence as he stared with intent. "I can't promise I won't bite", she teased. "Neither can I", he grinned.
A while later, Baal rebuckled his belt. "You might want to reorganize your desk", he taunted. His precious files were scattered all over the floor. "Eventually", grinned Ai. She had gotten what she wanted and was keen to play with her favorite toy, tucked safely under their barrier, or so they thought.
"With Amy-kun's help, I have everything I need to entertain Kalego's little group for a while... I'm not at all surprised by their choice of ally. Valiant will be an annoyance, but he also makes for a good scapegoat", she said as she shimmied her dress back into place.
"What do you have in mind?", asked Baal, mildly intrigued. Victoria smiled wickedly in response.
"You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?...His portals will cause suspicion to fall on him when my little pets start appearing. Besides, once it comes out who really is, none of them will trust him. Once he's betrayed and ousted, I can finally drag him to our side where he belongs. After all, it's high time the Victoria clan reunited under a single banner".
Back at Sullivan's mansion, hours had passed, but the group had reached a decision. Iruma's blood would be their best option to save Nene, but it was also possible that the shock from such a powerful medicine would destroy her failing body. Thus Kalego had agreed to try whatever elixir that his friends had concocted as the guinea pig. He was definitely the stronger of their two patients and didn't need to know what was in it.
Outside his room, in the hall, Balam waited with a fresh cup of tea. Persephone had infused several herbs into it and needed the final ingredient. Shichiro averted his gaze as Iruma bit open his finger. He'd seen countless demons perform the action to summon their familiars, but this was different.
A single drop of blood dripped into the herbal tea. Persephone stirred it carefully before entering Kalego's room alone, hoping the heat wouldn't destroy the benefits.
Kalego glanced over curiously as she approached. Ensuring he had a firm grip on the cup, she sat beside him on the edge of his bed. He glowered darkly at the swirling liquid. "What's in it?", he asked, intrigued by the aroma.
"Does it matter? Drink up. I want you better", replied Persephone, leaving no room for argument. He ceded with a grin. With a faint twinge, he downed the concoction in one go. It was warm, but not hot. Staring into the now empty cup, he tried to place the strange flavor.
Warmly grasping his shoulder, she watched him carefully for any change. "Well? Do you feel any different?", she asked. Kalego grimaced as he gripped the clothing over his heart. Something was wrong.
"Kalego-kun, talk to me. Tell me what's happening", said Persephone with worry. He had an odd hue to his complexion as the toxin put up a fight against Iruma's blood. The mark upon his neck began to seep a thick black fluid. She could imagine his chest was doing the same.
Getting no answer from him, Persephone went into doctor mode. Lying him back, she checked his vitals. His heart rate was unusual, but not dangerous. Needing more to go off of, she pulled open his shirt. In amazement, she watched the dark purple lines that marked his veins slowly retreat up his arm and shrink back into the curse over his heart. It miraculously was not weeping the black blood. It would quickly become obvious that damage was happening inside.
Kalego's face twitched as his body trembled. She observed closely for any further signs of shock. Then, all at once, his eyes closed and he stopped breathing. "Damnit!" Persephone went full force into CPR. After a few chest compressions and a deep breath into his lungs, he gasped, firmly back in life's hands.
Hearing her swear with such panic, Shichiro had entered the room in a hurry. He stared in a mix of relief and surprise as Kalego slowly sat up. A faint grin crossed his lips as Persephone hugged him tightly.
Sighing in sheer relief, Balam smiled, too. "Did it work?", he asked. Iruma nervously waited outside the open door, listening with hope.
Checking Kalego's pupils and pulse, Persephone grinned. "See for yourself", she said, removing his sleeve. His natural complexion had been restored. The only marks upon his skin were Victoria's curses and a few old scars.
Stepping closer, Balam looked his friend over. Satisfied, he said, "Welcome back, Kalego-kun." Kalego smirked as if to dismiss such a sentiment. He knew Shichiro was likely unaware of his close call, but knew Persephone would fill him in later. They would have to compare notes and make adjustments for Nene's treatment. If she crashed like that in her state, there was no promise they could bring her back.
Seeing Iruma's anxious face peering in from the side of his vision, Kalego turned to meet his nervous gaze. They stared briefly, one realizing he owed another debt and the other glad it had worked.
"So, they went with your plan then?", he ventured. The thought of ingesting a student's blood made his stomach turn, but it bestowed him the grace of avoiding a much worse fate.
Iruma nodded coyly, unsure if his sensei was angry to be duped. Kalego grinned faintly as he lowered his head in gratitude. "I'm sorry I doubted you", he said sincerely. Nearby, Balam grinned at the exchange.
Sensing Iruma's fears, Persephone smiled warmly as she beckoned him nearer. "Kalego-kun will be just fine thanks to you. Thank you for giving him back to me", she uttered. Kalego hid his pink cheeks at the word 'me' instead of 'us'. They had much to discuss later in private.
Standing beside them, Iruma couldn't help, but stare at his curses. He'd never seen them up close, only sketches in Balam's notes. Shaking his manners back to the surface, he grinned. "I'm glad you're better", he ventured. Kalego offered a rare, sincere smile in return. "Thank you."
Iruma quickly waved his hands. "Th-think nothing of it! I'm just glad I could help...Seeing how bad Nene-sama is, you had us all worried." His teacher smirked, teasing, "Don't let her hear you call her that." Iruma grinned at the barb. She would have a fit if he didn't address her as Granny when she woke up. "Right."
After several minutes, Persephone chased their friend's out of Kalego's room. He still needed to rest. She was leaving Nene in Shichiro's hands until she was satisfied Kalego had truly recovered.
After the third physical exam, he sighed, mildly irritated. Listening carefully to his heart, she chided, "No grumbling. I can't hear." He grinned to himself at her concern. "Persephone."
Hearing her name, she looked up in question. The way he had called to her just then was a distant memory come back to life. A fragile, but grateful smile awaited her. "I didn't mean to worry you", he uttered. She grinned as she softly touched his face.
"Now we're even. You revived me and I revived you… No more dying, though. Deal?", she offered. "Deal", he smirked. They sealed their agreement with a passionate kiss.
Once parted, they looked longingly at one another. He really wanted her to stay, to greedily take up her time and reclaim her body, but he knew another was in dire need of her care.
"Go take care of Nene. We can talk later", he said with a serious tone. She nodded with a thankful smile. "Rest up. I'll be back to check on you", she said, softly kissing him once more. She grinned to herself as she left, knowing he would watch her take every step.
Back in Nene's room, things were looking grim. The powerful healer was helpless against the toxin attacking her body. Angel blood was detrimental to demons to begin with, but it was binding to every last ounce of dark magic she had absorbed, all seven curses. In a cruel twist of fate, the great Purifier was dying through purification itself.
The angel blood was only reacting naturally to the vile magic stored in her body, but attacked her demonic flesh as well as the curses she was breaking down. Her darkened wings had an otherworldly sheen to them, her skin was pale, and her entire body was drenched in sweat. Sullivan watched her with deep concern as he tightly held her hand. He'd never seen her so weak.
Nearby, Opera was assisting Balam with his herbs. They both looked up in relief as Persephone entered the room. Immediately taking control, she asked, "How are we doing?". Shichiro sent her a worried look while Opera dropped their gaze. "I'll retrieve Iruma-sama", they uttered, excusing themself.
Once they were gone, Sullivan spoke up. "Opera is taking this very hard. Nene-chan really was like a mother to them." Balam's heart sank. If their efforts failed to save her, his seemingly invincible senpai would be crushed. "We'll do our best", assured Persephone. She loved her master, too.
She discussed their options with Shichiro while they awaited Iruma. They debated if they should dilute the blood and treat over several doses or go full force with it in the face of Nene's condition. The chances for going into shock were high with the latter, but they were running out of time. Eventually, they agreed on a plan. One pure drop of blood now followed by diluted treatments over the next few days.
Persephone took her place at her master's side as Opera returned with Iruma. She had to be ready for emergency action just as she did with Kalego. With an encouraging nod from his grandpa, Iruma stepped close.
"Should I aim for her wings?", he asked, wanting to target the dark mana. Persephone shook her head. "No, any effect would be localized. It has to hit her entire system", she explained.
Understanding how much was on the line, he leaned forward, letting his finger drip blood directly over her parched, parted lips. "Here goes", he uttered, giving the wound a squeeze.
Everyone watched breathlessly as a single drop of Iruma's blood fell into the fallen demon's mouth. They were so enraptured, no one noticed Valiant observing silently from the hall. Letting himself in, he offered, "Let me help."
With a brief nod, Sullivan stepped aside, giving up his place beside Nene. Iruma watched in awe as Valiant placed his hand over her eyes. "Give me your pain and be well again", he said, concentrating.
A faint light sparkled over Nene's skin as Iruma's blood went to work. At the same time, a dark red mist drifted into Valiant's open palm from her now convulsing body. He shuddered as her suffering became his own. "It's alright, Mother. You don't have to hold back. I can take more", he uttered.
As if Nene could hear him perfectly, the red mist thickened, pouring from her flesh and into his. His posture faltered as the agony set in. Sullivan hurriedly steadied Valiant as he continued to absorb pain and suffering from the one he lovingly called mother. Iruma and Balam stared in wonder.
"That technique...It almost looks like - …", ventured Shichiro, thinking aloud. Persephone offered him a comforting grin. She would explain later. Returning her focus to their patient, she noticed a bit of blood spilling from Vincente's lips as she glanced at him. "Valiant, that's enough. You can stop now", she said in concern.
He grinned wanly. "Let me help her. I can handle it", he stated. She wasn't so sure about that. He was barely standing on his own feet. Sullivan was mostly keeping him upright.
After one last surge of red mist, he clenched his hand in intense agony. Sullivan managed to catch Valiant upon the side of the bed. He sat motionless for a moment with his tightly shut as he accepted the suffering of another as his own. Yet thankfully, Nene seemed at peace. She slept deeply as the convulsions vanished.
With a nod from Sullivan, Opera gathered Valiant onto their shoulder and led him to his room to recover. Iruma was filled with questions, but they would have to wait. He anxiously looked at Nene for any sign of improvement. Seeing the color coming back to her face, he grinned in genuine relief. The dark lines were starting to dissipate. He watched Persephone tend to her master, expertly checking her vitals.
"That was amazing. I had no idea Vincente-san could do that", ventured Iruma. Balam narrowed his eyes in thought. "Neither did I", he said cryptically.
Leaving Persephone to take care of Nene, Sullivan ushered them both from the room. "Iruma-kun, Balam-kun, Valiant isn't who you think he is. After seeing what you have, I know you're suspicious, but he is on our side. I can promise you that."
Shichiro wasn't one to question the chair demon's judgment, but he had to know the truth. With an intense look, he asked his question. He would know if they were being lied to or fed half truths. "Vincente...He's related to Victoria, isn't he?", he inquired carefully. Iruma shivered at the revelation.
Sullivan grinned calmly, keeping an even expression as he explained. "Yes. The technique is quite similar, but the way they use it is very different… You see, when the Victoria clan first started dealing with the criminal underworld a few generations ago, the branch family, the Vincente's, stood against them completely. The Victoria side of the family would continue to use their 'drain' ability to control others."
"And the Vincente side used it to help?", ventured Iruma, putting it together. Sullivan smiled proudly at his grandson. "That's right. The side that stayed loyal to the crown retained their noble titles and used their bloodline trait to take away the negative aspects from those who needed their help - pain, anxiety, and depression, while the Victoria side used it to steal away the will and strength of their enemies."
Balam softened his stern gaze. He understood. They were two sides of the same coin. The main family went rogue against the throne, becoming thugs and kingpins, but the branch family adapted and became spies and healers. Sullivan spoke the truth.
Placing a gentle hand on Iruma's shoulder, he offered a warm kindness to the lad, assuring him Valiant could be trusted.
Over the next two days, both Kalego and Nene improved drastically. Persephone continued to add a drop of Iruma's blood to Nene's tea each morning and it was working wonders.
Sullivan had arranged for Opera to bring in several lavish gifts with the help of Valiant's portals. When Nene finally woke up, her room was covered in luxurious bouquets and more. Awaking to such a sight, Nene cried because she was so happy. She hugged both Sullivan and Opera tightly. They were glad to have her back. It had been a close call.
Meanwhile, Persephone had to get some rest of her own after such a harrowing ordeal. She had visited Kalego and they talked at length to ease her mind, but the exact topic of their current relationship had thus far been avoided.
That night, Kalego couldn't quite get to sleep, lost to his thoughts. So he laid on his side, staring into the darkness, his back toward his door. The faint sound of it quietly opening and closing caught his attention. He listened carefully, pretending to be asleep. Who would be so bold?
His eyes widened at the sensation of his mattress sinking beneath someone's weight behind him. Failing to hide a grin as he relaxed, he knew exactly who it was.
"What are you doing?", he asked flatly as he glanced across his shoulder. Persephone smiled wryly in response. "Hiding from Valiant. Now move over", she calmly replied.
With an amused smirk, he shuffled over to accommodate her. Now on his back, he carefully wrapped his arm around her waist as she snuggled into him. They hadn't laid like that in a very long time, but it still felt natural somehow.
Cuddling close as she got comfortable, Persephone knew Kalego was remembering the old times. He didn't have to speak for her to know his thoughts. Besides, she was lost to the nostalgia as well. Still, she was grateful for the refuge from her irritating suitor who wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.
"You know that idiot will make a scene if he sees you leave here in the morning", stated Kalego. Persephone grinned at the prospect. "Let him. Maybe he'll finally get it through his thick skull that I'm not interested", she yawned. She was very tired after so much drama as well as avoiding Valiant all day.
Half asleep, she decided to taunt her old flame. "Wanna give him something to talk about?", she teased. Kalego tensed briefly beneath her fingers as she affectionately rubbed his chest.
"Get some sleep", he chided, grasping her fingers and glad she couldn't see his pink cheeks in the low light. A brief chuckle dismissed her whimsy as she drifted off in his arms.
Listening to her breathe was somehow therapeutic. A small grin traced his lips as he carefully tightened his grip around her body. Holding her like this again felt right and that made him think about the future. His mind wandered briefly until he, too, finally fell asleep.
To be continued...