Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 36
That night, Kalego was restless. He knew Persephone was going to grill him about the nightmares when she returned and their evening meeting had included a call from Dali-sensei on speaker mode. He told them about the missing ingredients and, to top it all off, a bad storm was raging outside.
The thunder boomed loudly as the lights went out, rattling the windows. He sighed in annoyance at the cries of his students now in the dark. Unable to sleep anyway, he joined the main group. He twitched in irritation to see absolutely everyone out of bed. The teens were naturally overreacting to the loss of power.
"Calm down. I'll go check it out", offered Persephone. In the meantime, Opera would investigate from inside the mansion. Valiant, of course, quickly volunteered to go with Persephone. He'd argued it wasn't safe to go in the dark alone. After all, anyone could potentially be picked off unseen. Reluctantly, she agreed. They had to watch each other's backs. There was no telling if Victoria or one of her lackeys was nearby, under the cover of the storm.
Moments later, Shichiro stood beside Kalego on the porch as they headed out. It was pouring hard. Ignoring the inclement weather, Persephone stepped out from under the overhang. She had a job to do and was used to the elements in her line of work.
She glanced up in question when she strangely remained dry. Valiant stood beside her with a wide smile. "No worries, my lady. I have a hack for this", he explained, glad to be close to her, as he pointed up. One of his portals hung over their heads, redirecting the rain, a clever trick indeed.
Before she could ask where it was being diverted to, another portal opened over Kalego, drenching him thoroughly. His flat expression was almost comical. Sure he was annoyed, but not at all surprised. Balam had to avert his gaze to prevent himself from chuckling while Persephone shook her head. She looked at Valiant wryly as he grinned in feigned innocence.
"Haha, oops. I was aiming for the gutter", he lied. He sent Kalego a sneaky smile as he proceeded to follow Persephone to check the outside of the house in the dark. It was a thinly veiled insult, insinuating Kalego was essentially garbage along the street.
Inside, Sullivan, Pandora, and Nene were calming the gathered teens. When the men rejoined them, they all stared at their dripping wet teacher.
"I didn't think you were going?", ventured the chair demon. Kalego scowled in response. "I didn't." Ignoring his harsh tone, he guessed what happened. Exchanging a quick look with Nene, both knew Valiant wasn't ready to give up his chase of Persephone's heart just yet.
Nene smiled calmly despite Kalego's foul mood. "Go get changed before you catch a cold. We're fine here." Annoyed, he stalked off without argument. Glancing toward Balam, Nene ventured, "Valiant?". Shichiro nodded briefly. He didn't want to further irritate his friend with too many words, but it was a harmless prank.
Elsewhere in the mansion, Opera carefully watched a shape just beyond their lantern light. The vile creature struck out toward them, but they caught the dark serpent in one hand. It was the same as the ones they had found in the obstacle pit before. Narrowing their eyes, they snapped the shadow snake's neck.
The beast evaporated into the ambient darkness, but its mere presence was troubling. It proved that Victoria was still on the move. Undoubtedly, she was using this storm as a distraction. Opera wondered if she was actually there or if she had simply sent her pets forth again. Either way, this needed to be reported to Sullivan as soon as possible. Once finished resetting the fuse box, they headed for their master.
Moments later, the power returned, much to the relief of the riled teens, but another troubling sound sent new worry through the crowd. It sounded like an explosion just beyond the walls, amid the storm, yet it wasn't thunder. A bright flash lit up a nearby window at the same moment, clearly not lightning.
Everyone stared in surprise as one of Valiant's portals opened before them, leaking rain water everywhere. He stepped through, heavily supporting Persephone by her waist as she leaned against his shoulder, holding herself up with one arm. She was obviously favoring one leg over the other.
Quickly closing the portal behind them, Vincente looked pleadingly toward Nene. "Mother, she's been bitten", he said, gently helping her to a seat. Nene rushed over immediately. "What happened?", she inquired.
Persephone tugged off her boot, exposing a pair of dark fang marks. They pulsed with a familiar, intrusive mana. "More snakes. I tried to burn the lot of them like before, but one got away", she explained.
Valiant knelt beside her in genuine concern. "Tell her the rest", he encouraged. Persephone was light headed, but nodded. "Where is the snake now?", asked Iruma with concern. "In me", stated Persephone darkly.
Sensing the building fear, Balam and Pandora hurried the abnormal class back to their rooms as Sullivan narrowed his gaze, displeased with the situation. Iruma stared as his friends tried to drag him away. The serpent was in her? What did that mean?
A few minutes later, Kalego had returned after helping to corral the misfits. He stayed out of the way, but a grim expression was evident on his face.
Nene had inspected the bite and concluded that the shadow serpent had been absorbed into Persephone's leg. It was a troubling thought, but what was the purpose? Nearby, Pandora worriedly clinged to Shichiro's arm.
"Pan-chan, do you know something?", he ventured. She slowly nodded, haunted by her memories. "Those snakes...Victoria calls them her pets. They're basically curses that have taken on physical form and can move on their own", she explained grimly.
Kalego grit his teeth, keeping his arms tightly crossed. Ai had gotten to Persephone yet again right under his nose. "What do they do?", he asked stiffly. He wasn't willing to look anyone in the eye, but his worries were written all over his face as he stared at her.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know", replied Pandora. She watched her cousin carefully. Persephone looked a little pale, obviously in pain, but otherwise seemed fine.
"It just surprised me. I'm sure I'll be fine in the morning", she assured. Valiant wasn't buying it. "You're still dizzy, aren't you?", he asked, carefully holding her hand. Feeling a burning glare searing into the back of his head, he glanced toward Kalego.
The dour demon's aura seemed to project his accusation. "Isn't it convenient that only Persephone was injured?", he grumbled, not bothering to hide his animosity. Vincente squinted in annoyance. "I know what you're thinking, Naberius, but I didn't do this", he stated firmly.
Admittedly, it did look suspicious. Two demons had been alone in the dark; Only one was hurt and the other had already been suspected as being the traitor. The ambient thought was clear in the gathered eyes staring at him, waiting for proof of his innocence. The only missing accusatory stare was Henri's; He was busy minding the misfits with Ameri.
"Kalego, back off. I tried to kick the damned thing away from him. I wasn't the intended target", said Persephone. She looked like she was getting weaker by the minute. She tightly clutched the edge of her seat as she tried to steady herself against her growing vertigo.
Nene sent a readable look to Balam. With a nod, he promptly left to retrieve his herbs. Meanwhile, Kalego's dark glare never left Valiant. It was true that they never really got along, but now he really didn't trust him.
A few minutes later, Nene treated Persephone's leg with a fresh poultice, made from purifying herbs. She winced in pain at the sting. "Deep breaths, dear. That means it's working", assured Nene, gently patting her knee. Persephone didn't complain. She already knew that.
Not sensing any mortal danger from the attack, Sullivan ordered everyone back to their posts. They would need to be extra vigilant, especially after hearing Opera's report during her treatment. Clearly, Victoria intended to play with the group.
Once confident that Persephone would be all right, Valiant finally left her side and confronted his accuser. He and Kalego stared at one another in barely contained anger.
"You know, Naberius, the only reason I ever even acknowledged you as my rival is because of Lamya-sama. I couldn't care less about your rank or supposed skills. You are only on my radar because you've somehow made Persephone recognize you amid the masses... I don't care if you don't trust me, but how dare you question her judgment? She told you what happened. Are you so low as to question the word of a lady, you fiend?... You're no noble guard dog; You're just a flea bitten mongrel."
Kalego fought off an eye twitch. He really couldn't stand the sound of Vincente's voice right then. With a wicked smirk, he taunted, "At least I'm not a leech." Valiant stiffened visibly in anger, but an intruding voice separated the duo before it got any worse.
"Kalego-kun, let Lord Sullivan sort it out. Help her get to bed", said Balam, the voice of reason. "Hmph", grumbled Kalego. Honestly, he was just happy to have a reason to get Valiant out of his face. He gladly went to Persephone's side where he could personally watch over her recovery.
He and Nene took her to their room, Pandora fussing nearby as she escorted them. Opera watched Valiant closely, unsure if Persephone was in her right mind when she explained her injury. Still, Vincente was in Sullivan's hands now. They would once again place their trust in the chair demon.
Once Persephone had been made comfortable, Nene gave Kalego instructions. "Keep that leg elevated and monitor her temperature. If she shows any sign of respiratory distress, call me immediately." He nodded in agreement. Pandora reminded him to call her, as well, if needed. She was worried, too.
Once alone, he watched Persephone closely. She seemed to be resting, but he wondered just what absorbing that snake would do to her. His dark thoughts were interrupted by a half chuckle. Taking his hand, she smiled wanly.
"Don't look so serious. I'll be fine. It doesn't appear to be venomous", she calmly stated. He was really worried and it warmed her heart to see him so concerned. He didn't trust anything to do with Victoria or her schemes. There was no telling what might happen.
"Healers make the worst patients. Make sure you tell me if you feel ill", he said, gently brushing the loose hair from her face with care. She grinned faintly at his words. "Yes, doctor", she teased. The smallest hint of a smile traced his lips. He seemed to finally be relaxing a little.
Glancing at her swollen leg, his thoughts were obvious. "Yes, it hurts, but it's tolerable. It's nowhere near excruciating, okay?" He tried to grin for her, but couldn't quite muster the effort. She hadn't seen him look so grim since the attack that caused their breakup ten years prior.
She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I'll be fine, Kalego. Get some rest. Staring at me all night isn't going to help anything", she said. He really didn't think he could sleep, but he knew it was useless to argue with her. Lying close beside her, he keenly observed every motion as he watched her breathe. She looked okay. He just hoped she would stay that way.
In another room, Shichiro held Pandora near. She was understandably upset. She was really worried for her cousin, the only family she had left. He'd patiently listened to her concerns and now he was trying to take her mind off of the attack so she could calm down to rest.
He ended up asking her about her day training with Kalego's group. He smiled proudly as she told him about her successful flip. She couldn't help, but chuckle.
"You should have seen his face, Shichiro. He was so surprised!", she beamed. "I'm glad your hard work is paying off", he grinned, trying to picture it. Undoubtedly, Kalego had gone easy on her, but it was still an amusing mental image to see his old friend so shocked upon his back. It was too bad he'd missed that part.
Pandora hugged him gently. "Thank you...You've been a huge help getting me back on my feet. Senpai and Persephone, even Kalego-kun, too. You've all been so supportive and patient with me."
"We're just glad to have you back", said Shichiro, nuzzling into her hair. He was only speaking the truth just then. Tightening his arms around her, his tone shifted. "Pan-chan, never leave us again, okay?...I don't think I could take it."
Her eyes misted over at the immense sadness in his voice. She knew how hurt he had been in the past and she was determined to protect his recovered smile. That expression was so precious to her. She really did love him with all her heart.
Trying to cheer him up, she softly kissed his cheek. "You're not getting rid of me so easily. You're stuck with me now", she teased. He grinned sincerely as their eyes met. Softly stroking her face, he uttered, "Promise?".
Smiling coyly, she lovingly cuddled into his fingers. "If you ask me, I'll stay with you forever." He blushed faintly, knowing what she meant. They had mentioned it before, but he had yet to officially ask her.
"Pandora." She looked at him in question. He rarely called her by her full name anymore. It noted how serious he was. He stared into her vivid, quivering eyes, both nearly breathless in anticipation as he tightly held her hands in his own.
"When this is all over, I will ask you. I promise", he said, a gentle smile on his face. She understood the delay and she had no intention of leaving again anyway. With a shy grin, she said, "I'll try to be patient", before securing the promise with a tender kiss. She could hardly wait.
The next morning, Opera had been left in charge of the misfits along with Ameri while Balam kept a close eye on Vincente. The others were needed elsewhere. Henri investigated the scene of Persephone's accident in the meantime.
In Kalego's room, he closely observed as Nene worked, visibly tense. Persephone wouldn't wake up. Black lines radiated out from the snake bite across her leg. Pandora tearfully prayed beside him. He quietly held her hand in support.
"Nene-chan, what is it?", asked Sullivan, concerned by her frustrated expression. The healer looked exasperated as she helplessly shook her head. "I don't know, Sa-chan. Physically, she's fine. All of her vitals are in normal range", she replied.
Kalego looked at her wings. They were still rather black from taking on his curse; She couldn't take on another just yet. "Nene", he called, jarring her from her thoughts. It was rare for someone not to use an honorific when addressing her. She looked up in question, eager to hear his thoughts.
"You're in no condition to purify this...but can you transfer the curse to someone else?", he asked. He looked deathly serious. There was no doubt in her mind that he meant to take it upon himself. She offered a kind, faint smile at his offered sacrifice.
"Kalego-kun, you just got lighter. Do you really want to take on another such heavy burden so soon? You know what Per-chan will say", she ventured. He grinned faintly, perfectly imagining her rage.
"I can handle it", he stated. Pandora stared with wide eyes. She didn't want him to fall back into Victoria's hands. "Kalego-kun, that's just what Ai wants. She knows you're halfway free; She's trying to draw you back in. That's why she attacked Persephone. She knew you would do this", she said, worried.
"That is certainly possible, but I believe that Lamya-chan really was protecting Vincente-kun. I spoke with him at length last night. It seemed like a fluke that the serpent struck out at all. The fact that she tried to kick it away was all poor timing and bad luck...I suppose it's plausible that all that was part of Ai's plan rather than coincidence, but I don't think Valiant is our traitor", said the chair demon.
Kalego glared icily at his words. He clearly disagreed. Nene took his free hand to calm him. "If Valiant wanted to steal Persephone away from you, he could have easily thrown her into any other portal whenever he wanted. Even if you don't see eye to eye, you must admit that he simply doesn't have it in him to hurt her", she offered.
Kalego sighed, begrudgingly accepting such logic. "Perhaps, but I still don't like him", he grumbled. Nene smiled serenely in the face of his attitude. "Mum's here to look after her. Go ahead back to your students. You still have a job to do. It's your duty to make sure these kids are ready."
He didn't want to leave Persephone's side, but Nene was right...Again. How irritating… He glanced toward Pandora who grinned in reassurance. She wouldn't let her precious cousin slip away so easily. With a reluctant nod, he and Sullivan left the women behind. They knew Victoria was even more likely to strike now that they were one soldier down. The abnormal class had to be ready.
Sullivan made Kalego and Vincente shake hands in truce before the day went into full swing. Persephone's team was worried when she didn't show up, but accepted that she needed to rest after the attack. They didn't know the whole truth, but that was a running theme in this charade of training.
Balam quietly spoke to Kalego aside as Sullivan explained that the entire class would be working together that day. It would be a massive undertaking, but worth the work if the misfits could function as a full unit.
Once Kalego assured his friend he would be all right despite the lack of sleep, they rejoined the others. Valiant avoided meeting his gaze, but maintained a professional manner in directing the misfits. He knew Kalego was unlikely to apologize and he likely couldn't accept it anyway. He felt guilty that Persephone had been struck down under his watch. He would have to make it up to her somehow.
Midway through the day, the teens were already exhausted. They had begun aerial combat as promised and it was a lot harder than it looked. Each demon had to be keenly aware of their wings with every movement. Otherwise, they became a huge target for their opponent.
As they came back from lunch break, the students waved to Dali-sensei. He'd dropped by again without warning. Stepping aside with Kalego, they left Balam and Sullivan to instruct the next lesson with Vincente.
Once they were certain they were out of hearing range, they spoke in a hushed conversation. "Any news?", asked Kalego darkly. Dali's smile fell as he solemnly nodded. "It's definitely someone on my side. Too many things have gone missing", he replied.
Kalego narrowed his eyes as he thought about that. Surely Valiant could slip in and out all too easily. Putting a hand on his shoulder, Dali grinned faintly.
"I know you want the mole to be Vincente, but I've personally been keeping close tabs on him. He's in the clear", he stated. Kalego took a deep breath as he tried to relax. That was both good news and bad news. It left a huge question unanswered. "Who do you suspect?", he inquired carefully.
"That's just the thing. We don't have any leads yet. Barbatos and Suzie are innocent in my mind", replied Dali. Kalego smirked faintly as he said, "And Bars is too stupid to be the spy."
They thought it over. The only other person they could even remotely think of was Orias and that was merely a shot in the dark based on his luck ability. There was no supporting evidence whatsoever.
"You're certain the mole is on the Babylus team?", asked Kalego, thinking aloud. Dali smiled as he playfully patted his back. "Well, we know for sure it isn't you. You'd rather eat your cactus collection than help Victoria", he teased. "And don't worry, I watered them for you", he added.
Kalego grinned in thanks. He was relieved he was still so trusted despite being at the center of everything. "I'm still going to keep my ears open here. We can't be too careful", he stated. They then discussed the possible teachers and students involved based off of the staff's previous meeting.
Kalego immediately defended Pandora's innocence as her unwitting involvement was purely conjecture. In the end, Dali dismissed her as a suspect. Then they talked about Vincente. Circumstantially, it sounded pretty bad for him, but it was also all theoretical. There was no hard evidence against him.
As for the suspected students, Kalego begrudgingly agreed with three of them. He was certain Asmodeus was too loyal to Iruma, especially after the insect incident.
Meanwhile, Purson should have been safe, but he had to admit that it was possible that Victoria had promised her resources to find his missing brother in exchange for his cooperation. If that was the case, they needed to discuss the truth with him very soon.
Lied and Elizabetta were plausible in any case. It was most likely that the traitor was an adult, a member of the faculty at Babylus, but the possibility that a student could also be involved could not yet be dismissed. Still, Kalego couldn't really see either of the last two suspects willingly involved. They really had nothing to gain of their own volition, but that isn't to say that Ai didn't have leverage against them.
After a long talk, the two teachers agreed that it was time to talk to Purson Soi regardless. Dali was to meet with his parents first, then they would decide how to proceed from there. It was an unpleasant task, yet necessary.
As Dali departed, he smiled at a lighter thought. "Next time I come, make sure I meet Pandora-san. I look forward to getting to know our future music teacher", he said. Kalego grinned with a nod. Apparently Sullivan had mentioned the possibility at some point.
After that, Dali went back to his search for leads. As Kalego walked back toward his class, his phone chirped. He smiled in relief at the alert. Pandora had sent him a message, "Look who's awake!", with a picture of a very hazy Persephone, grinning wryly at the camera.
He went back to his duties with a renewed sense of peace. Persephone was going to be alright. Knowing she was in good hands, he focused on his work. He took turns with Balam between aerial and weapons training. Valiant manned the ground exercises while Nene and Clara were left in charge of first aid. It was a slightly unsettling role for the Valac, but Kalego didn't argue. If Lady Nene could give the girl an ambition, she could certainly use the direction.
to be continued...