Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 39
Later, at Babylus, the mood was admittedly more serious as they adjusted their plans concerning Marbas. Taking a brief break from that, Persephone eagerly listened as Kalego finished his phone call. Suzie was resting peacefully and out of immediate danger, so he had called Shichiro for updates about things at the mansion. It sounded like everything was under control. Well, almost everything.
As he hung up, Kalego smirked lightly to Persephone, easing her worries. "The brats are all fine thanks to Nene, but she will likely require your help. Apparently she entered her wicked phase and is wreaking havoc on the principal."
His amusement at that thought was rather evident in his smug expression, glad the irritatingly frivolous chair demon was getting a taste of his own medicine. She stifled a chuckle at his dark sense of humor. It was something they had in common.
"Lord Sullivan will be fine to handle Mum until I get back and Pan-chan can help if needed. I'm fairly certain Stolas won't need me again after my phoenix, but I'd rather stay nearby until I'm sure", she ventured.
Despite his relief for Suzie's recovery, Kalego was still uneasy about whatever Victoria was planning. There was no telling if she would come for Persephone again, but he knew she could handle herself. He wasn't going to underestimate or push her away this time. She had earned her place at his side and their years apart had only enforced her determination to bring Ai down for good.
Taking her hand, he sincerely said, "Thank you." If not for her, Suzie would surely be dead. She grinned at his gentle attention as she knew how grateful he was. It was the Babylus code - Every teacher and student were precious treasures. If even one of the staff fell, it would leave a void in the school, but that left another issue open. If Marbas was guilty, the school would still lose a valuable teacher.
Before his call with Shichiro, Kalego had to adjust their plans with Dali regarding the interrogation. It wasn't safe to take Balam away from their students just yet; Victoria had proven that. Thus, they would take Marbas to Balam instead. Dali didn't seem too pleased with the idea, but he trusted Kalego to keep a stern watch over their potential criminal. He would not get away.
Kalego and Persephone lingered briefly as they shared a tender stare, communicating without words. Their renewed relationship was about to test their faith in one another as they parted ways. Then he sternly got to his feet. He had to finish what he'd started. Glancing at Robin, he stared momentarily, a reminder to stay vigilant. His kouhai was actually being serious for a change, something he vastly appreciated given the gravity of the situation.
After a prompting look, Vincente opened the portal as Bachiko held onto Marbas tightly by his cuffs. She wasn't taking any chances. Dali, Robin, and Persephone would stay with Suzie while the investigation continued elsewhere.
On the other side of the portal, Bachiko, Marbas, and Kalego stepped directly into Sullivan's office. The chair demon was waiting for them with an oppressive aura at his desk. He wasn't so foolish as to take the attack lightly. Opera silently observed beside him.
Meanwhile, Pandora, Henri, and Ameri were watching over the abnormal class while Balam joined the meeting. Knowing Marbas was in good hands, Bachiko took Shichiro's place among the teens as a supervisor. Besides, she was eager to see Iruma's progress after the incident.
Valiant stood back, quietly lingering by the door. He may be rather vocal at times, but as a master spy, he also knew when to hold his tongue. He was on standby in case Marbas foolishly made a run for it. If that were to happen, he could open a portal loop to trap him within the office. Holding his silence, he let Kalego lead the investigation as before.
Marbas hung his head as Kalego recounted Dali's and Bachiko's version of what had happened. His expression grew even darker and more anguished when he'd heard about Suzie's death and resurrection. It was new information to him and he was so grateful that Kalego's team arrived when they did. A few more minutes and Suzie would have been gone forever. The entire time, Sullivan said nothing, simply listening and watching for reactions.
Finally, Marbas got the chance to speak for himself again. His story didn't change at all. Every detail was the same, meaning he was either a thoroughly practiced liar or was genuinely being honest. When he'd finished talking, he pleadingly looked at Balam. One by one, the others did the same.
Shichiro seemed to be concentrating as he replayed everything in his mind. After a brief pause, he locked eyes with his best friend.
"Kalego-kun, he's telling the truth. He didn't hurt Suzie", he stated. Kalego grinned lightly, grateful his trust hadn't been misplaced. Marbas, himself, exhaled deeply in relief. His name was finally clear.
He hadn't made a single complaint throughout the ordeal. He smiled softly as Kalego unlocked his handcuffs. He understood how guilty he looked and that they all had to be extremely careful when dealing with Victoria. The assailant clearly had no qualms in killing their former allies and that raised several concerns.
Kalego thanked Marbas for his cooperation before a mild apology, but he had done nothing wrong. He'd played his role as peacekeeper and impartial investigator perfectly. Then he explained how they needed to be extra cautious until Persephone's familiar could recharge. If someone died over the next few days, there was no bringing them back and Victoria could appear on Sullivan's doorstep at any time.
The topic next turned to Suzie's reaction upon seeing the gathered teachers. She was clearly afraid when she had pointed at them, the sheer terror shining in her swollen eyes, but who was she trying to warn the others about?
A new possibility surfaced as the group discussed the gesture's meaning. The new theory was that whoever was working as Victoria's double agent had either the ability or a tool that disguised them as other demons, keeping their identity safe, and that only raised more questions.
No one could think of any other obvious suspects and the newest theory meant that the mole wasn't even necessarily a staff member of Babylus. It was entirely plausible that it was merely some lackey with a mastery of transformation spells. In a way, that was almost better. At least the teachers would be cleared of suspicion, but it couldn't be proven until they caught the perpetrator.
After a long discussion, it was decided that Balam was their best bet once again; He would know if someone wasn't who they said they were. Meanwhile, Kalego would remain with the misfits and Shichiro would investigate Babylus himself after tomorrow's training. For now, though, Kalego had a duty to report back to Dali in person.
The team returned to Dali's office. Their senpai looked wan. He was glad Marbas had been proven innocent and even bowed deeply as he apologized. Unused to that level of respect, Marbas forgave them all without a fuss. Then they sent him to investigate with Bachiko. It was possible they may yet find clues within the recovered torture devices.
Vincente waited politely outside while the remaining two teachers spoke alone. Both Kalego and Dali appeared to border on exhaustion. Each settled into a chair as their lack of energy caught up with them.
"Any other ideas?", ventured Kalego, tiredly leaning onto his elbow. Dali seemed lost to his thoughts, a dark, worried look on his face. After a long pause, he said, "Thank you for bringing Lamya-chan. I shudder to think how things would be without her here."
Kalego silently offered his sympathy. He had been worried, too, but there was an unspoken closeness between Suzie and Dali, one he never asked about. It was fairly obvious that the duo were maintaining a professional stance, but were at least good friends behind the scenes, if not more.
"Victoria is going to make a bigger move next. I can feel it. All of those stolen ingredients have to mean something", stated Dali darkly. Kalego agreed, but the question was who would be the target? The Babylus team or the abnormal class? They spoke late into the night, trying to figure it out.
At Sullivan's estate, Pandora sat snuggling her back to Shichiro's chest in his lap as they talked. Everything felt so surreal. He'd grown so strong while she was gone and his arms felt so warm. She was truly happy being held so tenderly.
When he had come in a few hours earlier, she had insisted he remove his gloves so she could admire his now uncursed hand. She was so relieved to see him finally free of Victoria's mark.
He was used to not wearing his mask around her, so her request concerning his gloves was simple enough. He knew that she adored him just the way he was; He had absolutely nothing to hide from her and that alone was a truly heartwarming feeling.
The clock chimed midnight as they chatted, a sure sign it was much later than they had originally thought. Yet so much had happened recently, it felt like they could continue their discussion for hours. Still, they needed to rest if they were going to be of any use to the misfits.
Shichiro smiled softly as he hugged her close, happily nuzzling into her ear. She was starting to look rather sleepy and it was so adorable, he could barely handle it. His touch addiction was really being put to the test during their alone time like this, but being a gentleman, he resisted the call of her soft skin as much as possible. Still, she gave him lots of cuddling on the nights it wasn't his turn to watch over the teens where she felt safest, in his arms.
"You should be asleep already", he chided, snuggling close. "We both should, but I'm not tired", she replied. She had seemed prone to nodding off for the last several minutes despite her words. He grinned to himself at her stubbornness, a quality she had in common with Kalego.
It became evident that she really wanted to stay awake to get in as much time together as possible. Balam had no idea that Persephone's meddling and watching Lady Nene fervently chase after Sullivan had emboldened her, steeling her resolve to become the perfect future wife. Besides, the spate of recent attacks was a reminder of how precious life was. No one knew just how much time they were going to get. One just had to make the most of it and she loved him so very much.
Stretching, Pandora made sure to lean across his torso as she reached to turn off the light. Shichiro had been sleeping beside her for a few days now, but she apparently had something else in mind tonight.
"We really should try to get some rest", he said a little nervously, not overly eager to sneak out from under her body. Despite their mutual shyness, he was also guilty of similar thoughts, especially in response to her unusual mannerisms.
"Nooooo", she whined, cuddling closer. He blushed mildly in surprise. She really was too cute sometimes. Tightly hugging his waist, she explained, "You're warmer than the blanket and this is where I feel safest." He grinned shyly at the nuance. It was true, though, his arms would never let go again. Giving in, he settled back into his spot. "All right", he ceded. She happily snuggled up to him in victory.
Half an hour passed without much chatter and neither could sleep, lost to their shared thoughts at their proximity. Gently stroking her hair as he held her, he stared at the ceiling. It was hard to believe how close they were now.
He thought back to their younger days, smiling to himself as recalled her taunting kiss to his cheek at the dance so long ago. She had kissed beside his scar and very near to his mouth, a tempting reminder that she wasn't afraid or repelled by him in the least.
Because of Victoria, he had missed acting on that invitation, losing Pandora for decades, even thinking she was gone forever, and he wasn't willing to miss his next chance at happiness. Not realizing she had moved as he thought, he jolted to attention upon seeing her grin mischievously at close range, playfully leaning upon his chest.
"What are you smiling about?", she teased. Quickly averting his gaze, he mumbled, "Nothing." "Don't lie to me, Balam-kun", she teased with a chuckle. She rarely called him by his last name, making it a point to correct him. Defeated, he turned his pink face back toward hers.
He melted at an unexpected kiss. As their lips parted, she gently stroked his face. "Is that what you were thinking about?", she asked with a coy smile. She had crawled from his side to over top of him at this point and he knew he would crack soon if she pushed much more. He was already desperate to experience every inch of her, given permission.
"Pan-chan", he uttered, almost warningly. She blushed, getting the hint. Not backing down, she lingered nearer to his face. "I thought just maybe...we could be a little closer?", she ventured warmly. Her tone was rather enticing, highlighting the parts she wasn't saying, but he knew exactly what she meant and how she felt. Things were about to get interesting.
"But you know, Shichiro-kun, I meant what I said before", she stated firmly. Balam swallowed hard as he recalled her words from shortly after their reunion. "You don't have to be afraid to touch me."
She had said it at the time in the connotation of easing his worry of hurting her before when she looked so fragile after being rescued from years of abuse and neglect. She knew him well and understood his need for physical contact. Now, though, it seemed to take on a new meaning. Lying alone in the dark together, she had to know that. Was she testing him?
Silence drifted in and Shichiro seemed to hold her just a little bit closer as he tucked her hair behind her ear, struggling against his mounting frustration as he weighed his options. Would it really be okay if - ?... It was all very tempting and he'd be lying if he told himself he wasn't interested.
Looking into his face, Pandora softly petted the exposed feathers around his neck, eliciting a mild shiver. That look in her eyes - she knew exactly what she was doing. Noting his combination of panic and intrigue, she smiled apologetically. "Is this too fast?", she asked shyly.
Shichiro froze. He was so close to getting everything he ever wanted, but he didn't want to ruin their reignited romance either. Still, they had already unofficially promised to be together for the long haul, a warming thought for the future.
"Pandora", he uttered, almost sighing, trying to find the words as he softly stroked her face with his thumb. She gently kissed his cheek, thinking she understood. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere", she assured.
"I love you", he stated with feeling, looking deeply into her eyes. Her anxious disappointment quickly melted into a blushing, blissful smile. "I love you, too, Shichiro", she said, lovingly kissing him deeply. Those words and that motion seemed to be the key that unlocked so many repressed feelings.
Their kiss escalated quickly as Shichiro held onto the small of her back tightly with one hand and eagerly felt along her thigh with the other. In the midst of searching, grateful hands and entwining bodies, they had rolled over, trading places. Pausing their passion for air, they stared into one another's eyes, completely lost to time and space.
Pandora smiled invitingly despite both of their pink faces, breathless beneath his weight. Nervously glancing beside them, Shichiro anxiously realized he'd inadvertently pulled her leg up over his hip and against his side in his fervor. She giggled at the nervous look of realization on his face as he went red clear to his ears. He was clearly worried he'd gone too far.
Carefully turning his face back toward her own, she once again assured, "It's alright… You can touch me all you want. It's okay because it's you." Her smile and words pierced through him. Gently pulling his head down, she nuzzled lovingly into his neck with soft kisses. The faintest flinch of his nervous fingers slowly transformed into a tight embrace. He never wanted to let go.
After a moment of calm, Pandora spoke up. "Shichiro-kun, do you remember when I told you that I knew how it felt to be different?", she inquired. Of course he did. It was long ago in their school days. Back then, he had eventually asked about it and Pandora shyly said that maybe one day he would find out for himself. He tensed, wondering about what she could possibly want to show him there and then of all times.
Slowly sitting up, they stared at one another. "It's time you found out", she said coyly. Leaning in, she kissed him gently as he carefully grasped her waist. Hesitating a moment, she teased, "Don't panic", and started lifting her nightgown off her legs. Of course her warning had the exact opposite effect.
Letting go, Shichiro nervously waved his hands. "You don't have to - ", he said way too fast, but ended up speechlessly staring at her body. Her tanned skin had several scars from her time with Victoria, but they were invisible to him. All he could see in the low light was the outline of some very enticing curves. Setting her gown aside, she had more intimate garments on underneath that fit her like a glove. Lace invitingly highlighted the already most tempting places.
"You've been planning this", he uttered breathlessly, intrigued. Slowly, he placed his hands back on her hips as it took it all in. "Maybe", she said, smiling shyly as she averted her gaze. He couldn't help, but grin in return. They were both hopelessly shy, but she'd swallowed her anxiety just for him. Now it was his turn to do the same for her.
Pulling her close, he lovingly snuggled into her bare shoulder. As his arms tightened around her body, he felt something odd at his fingertips. Pandora blushed to herself as he curiously and carefully felt her small, fluffy tail.
Most female demons had long tails with a heart shaped end, but this didn't feel anything like that. As he loosened his embrace, intrigued, she coyly turned around for him to see. She had a very unusual tail indeed, like that of a rabbit or a deer. It was small, furry, adorable, and it suited her perfectly.
Shichiro was entranced by the odd sight. He flinched his curious hand back as her tail reflexively twitched beneath his curious fingers. "I'm sorry! Did that tickle?", he ventured. She shyly shook her head.
He was so close to her now. The proximity of his face to her backside quickly dawned on him, as well. Beet red, he resumed a respectful distance. Turning once more to face him, she sat on her legs and waited for him to look back up. As he did, they both blushed deeply.
"Now you know", she said, nervously grinning. Her blushing cheeks were simply too precious for him to verbally respond. After a brief moment, he smiled softly. Paraphrasing her own past words, he said, "It's nothing to be ashamed of. You're already amazing as you are."
Her eyes quivered in recognition of the quote. It had been so long since she had said it and he still remembered it perfectly. She was so happy that her words had reached him back then, thanks to Kalego.
A wide smile graced her lips as she pulled him into an affectionate, grateful kiss. She knew he would accept her. As he embraced her, returning the gesture, he could feel that fuzzy tail of hers almost wagging happily in response. Then it dawned on him that maybe it was actually anticipation.
Her lingerie was a bold move. He knew it had to be Persephone's doing. That thought alone was a little embarrassing, but he wasn't exactly ungrateful. As the tender reveal ended, both demons had their thoughts move back to the present. Pandora was practically in his lap with very little fabric between them.
Pausing to gaze into her pink eyes, he coyly reached for her, moving exceptionally cautiously. Slowly, he fingered the lace along her bosom. She grinned shyly at his attention. It had been a long time coming.
Emboldened by her acceptance, he firmly squeezed her breast. She blushed deeply with a subdued 'mmph'. She'd dreamt of this since their reunion. Nervously meeting his searching eyes, she placed her hand over his as if to encourage him further. Pulling her ever closer, reservations began to slip away.
The duo toppled over as things intensified, Shichiro again landing on top. Her skin was so soft, her body so supple, and all of it was his. He was glad that she had him remove his gloves earlier. She had meant to make him more comfortable, but now he wasn't missing a single fingertip of her.
One last desperate and breathless gaze was the only permission asked. After decades apart, it was clear both intended to make up for lost time. Finally, two slowly and awkwardly melded into one.
The sound of her gasp as he carefully entered her body startled him. He worriedly looked into her vivid, pink eyes, afraid he had hurt her. They were rather different in physical stature, but her soft kisses assured him all was well. With patience, what started as cautious movements progressed to passion filled motions, taking them well into the early hours of the morning.
The next day, Kalego grumbled to himself in irritation. Pandora wasn't answering her phone, thus he went to her room in person to make sure she was okay. He worried about her hidden curse, especially after Ai's serpent attack.
He had gotten very little sleep the night before and didn't have the patience to wait for her. They needed Pandora to take over with Nene, freeing Opera for the day's lessons as a stand-in for Persephone and security.
Unbeknownst to him, her phone had fallen to the floor the night before in distraction and the battery had fallen out. He was mildly annoyed, but more concerned than anything. He hadn't seen him yet, but assumed Balam was already tending to the abnormal class at breakfast and didn't want to worry him if Pandora had simply slept in.
Now that she had recovered, she was returning to her old habits of waking fairly early on her own, but not today. He worried she was relapsing due to the curse on her heart. After all, no one knew when or how it would strike and Victoria was getting impatient in her endeavors to crush the group.
Finally arriving at Pandora's door, he knocked softly. No answer. Readying himself to help her off the floor if needed, he entered her room with polite caution. There was no telling where she might be or in what condition. "Sorry to intrude", he called, slowly looking over the room. Thankfully, she wasn't on the floor, but her clothes were. Hers and…?!
Settling his searching eyes over the bed, he saw her bare, scarred back wrapped neatly in Shichiro's arms, clutched tightly against his chest. He hastily closed the door behind himself with a red face. He was half embarrassed and half amused.
Naturally, it was the perfect moment for Opera to arrive. They had left Sullivan in charge of Lady Nene for the moment. Hopefully that meant she was still under Pandora's calming influence.
"What are you doing here?!",demanded Kalego, flustered. "Morning exercise", replied Opera calmly. Though not as close, they knew Pandora in school, too, and cared for her wellbeing, thus, helped with her recovery and physical therapy. Still, she wouldn't need them much longer.
Opera stared at his kouhai carefully. He was deep red clear to his ears, completely caught off guard. Of course his senpai only furthered his frustration. Already having guessed what had happened, they calmly pulled out their phone.
"I guess I'll call Balam-kun and Lamya-chan to let them know she's not feeling well today", stated Opera, deadpan as ever. They smirked in amusement as Kalego put his hand over their phone. "You are truly shameless", he grumbled. He knew his senpai was already aware of the truth, but he didn't know their part in Persephone's plans. Though Opera had merely retrieved the box for her, they were still enjoying the proverbial show.
Opera grinned sneakily, playing off his unease. Kalego fought off an eye twitch as he grit his teeth. He hated when they acted this way, blatantly messing with him.
Putting their phone away, Opera had enough fun for the moment. "If you'll wake them, I will ensure Iruma-sama and his friends don't suspect anything. Your class is waiting for you three with Lord Sullivan", they said. Kalego smirked in appreciation. If anything would distract Iruma, it was food. He just hoped that proved true for the other teens as well.
"Fine", agreed Kalego. Waiting for Opera to leave, he sighed in exasperation. He never even saw his entertained senpai text Persephone, "Mission accomplished."
It was true his friends were old enough to do as they pleased, "But at least lock the door!", he thought, annoyed. There were students all throughout the mansion, after all. Knocking much louder this time, he called Pandora's name.
Inside the room, she hazily came to. Memories of the night flooded her mind and she shyly smiled to herself. She softly kissed Shichiro's forehead, gently stirring him as she made herself decent. Peeking through the cracked door, she smiled innocently at her friend. "Good morning, Kalego-kun", she greeted. He smirked in response.
"Get dressed. Nene and the principal are waiting for us… So are the brats, so try to act like adults", he stated. She grinned apologetically with a faint blush. "Of course", she replied. Pushing the door open to a wider angle, he shouted, "Shichiro, get up!", before stalking off down the hall. Pandora stared after him in mild embarrassment. Was he really that irritated that they were late? It wasn't even that much time past their scheduled morning start. Then she realized he had likely been worried about her and that eased her nerves.
Firmly closing the door, she returned to Balam's side. He was yawning, propped on one arm. "Kalego-kun?", he ventured, still half asleep. Pandora chuckled and sat beside him. "Guess again", she said cheerfully. Slowly registering that their long night had been no dream, his expression shifted from mild surprise to a smile of pure bliss.
Lovingly stroking his sleepy face, she smiled happily in response. He grinned sheepishly as their eyes met and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Now you really are all mine", he said, nuzzling into her shoulder. Softly brushing the hair from his eyes, she blushed at the affection. "I always have been", she replied proudly. The ensuing cuddle attack caused her to giggle in amusement. Finally being honest with each other and themselves felt so free.
Kissing his brow, she snuggled close. "I've always loved you", she uttered sincerely. He easily enveloped her in his arms. Her frame was much smaller than his own. Every moment they had made each other smile since their youth ran through his mind. Looking back, it was so clear. He grinned to himself, knowing Kalego was right back then; He really was an idiot for not having seen it sooner.
Looking into her face, Shichiro smiled fondly. She returned the same gentle expression, unafraid and unbothered by his scars. She'd accepted them right away in the past and now it was as if they weren't even there. "I've always loved you, too", he replied a little shyly. Snuggling close, Pandora enjoyed his warmth. She found it adorable that he could still be coy after the night they had shared. "That's just like him", she thought.
The rest of the day went off without a hitch. The abnormal class was adjusting to the rigors of their new training schedule, prompting their teacher's to turn up the heat.
With Persephone still at Babylus, Opera temporarily took her place. The teams worked both independently and as a group. They were becoming a real military unit. Even Iruma was keeping up. His arm really only needed one last healing session to be safe, but he wore the brace as a precaution. Especially since weapons training was in full swing and the proverbial kit gloves had been removed for hand to hand combat.
Nene was able to provide healing for the inevitable injuries despite her evil cycle. Pandora's rose tint was truly invaluable. Of course that didn't stop the great Purifier from winking and blowing kisses at Sullivan as he made his rounds.
Watching the chair demon sweat under her focused affection was rather amusing to Kalego. He truly appreciated the distraction from his gloomy state of mind. He was staying keenly observant for any signs of enemy activity, but at least he could breathe easy knowing that Persephone would take expert care of Suzie.
Late that afternoon, the misfits gathered to unwind from the day. Their teachers had pushed them hard, but seemed pleased with their progress.
"So, your highness, how do you see your army?", teased Jazz. Iruma smiled pleasantly. "I think everyone's doing really great!", he stated.
"It's all about good leadership", said Sabnock with a smug grin. The student generals were doing well. Even Agares was putting in the work. Because of that, he snored loudly under Gaap's care as their friends spoke.
"Irumachi, do we know who the spy is yet?", asked Clara excitedly. Iruma glanced to the intel team for answers. Purson seemed pleased with himself, but it was Allocer who said, "Among the class, it was Kerori. Her beasts could easily gather information without drawing attention."
Crocell smirked smugly. She had been found out, but she was still proud of her mastery over her subjects. Camui praised her as she grinned.
"What about the second spy?", inquired Lied. He was just happy his precious Neesan had been proven innocent. Even Azz looked to Purson, awaiting an answer. He had yet to speak.
"We still don't have an answer yet though I've been watching all of our teachers closely. At first, we thought it was sensei just as an added twist, but then Vincente-san looked guilty… I'm still gleaming intel about the Babylus team, but I suspect it's one of them."
Iruma stared in awe. No one had even been told about the school protection squad. He was impressed.
Nearby, Kalego glowered darkly at the conversation. Balam ceased his words, realizing his friend wasn't listening. "Kalego-kun?"
Kalego returned his focus to his best friend. "Did you tell them about that?", he asked carefully, avoiding the word 'attack'. He was still a little cross about Shichiro spilling his secrets to Asmodeus. Still, both Azzkun and Iruma had kept their word and said nothing of the truth to their peers.
Balam shook his head. "I thought maybe you did", he replied. Kalego fought off a twitch in irritation. "Idiot. Why would I do that?... It had to be Vincente. That fool is playing with fire", he grumbled. Shichiro didn't have an answer, but they couldn't exactly prove he was the leak. After all, Purson-kun was always listening.
Meanwhile, at Babylus, a dark, clandestine meeting was taking place.
Victoria amusedly sat on the desk with her legs crossed beside her double agent, planted firmly in his chair, his hands crossed grimly in front of his face. He hated having anything to do with her and he was being forced into doing what she wanted. Yet his body was surprisingly clear of her curses as she used a different kind of leverage against him.
She grinned smugly at his dark expression. "Don't get cold feet now. You were the one who let me into the vault", she reminded. His mind flooded with memories of his fallen comrade. Suzie had been savagely attacked.
"You nearly killed her… You said you weren't going to hurt her. You were only supposed to knock Suzie out!", he said harshly. It was his fault, but he still felt betrayed. Ai shrugged casually, "I was bored. Besides, Stolas looked so sweet and innocent...It made me sick."
The mole glared at her nonchalance. He was regretting this forced alliance deeply, but there was a chance he could still save the misfits. Swallowing his complicated emotions, he was clearly thinking of how to minimize the damage in the coming attack.
"It's too late to change your mind, my dear. Everything is already in place. You helped make this mess, so you have no one else to blame when you have to clean up the aftermath", she taunted. She was right, of course, and he hated that.
Glaring menacingly, he stood his ground as he lowered his hands, staring her in the eye. He was in no mood to mince words. "About the abnormal class - you absolutely must keep your word or I'll turn myself in right now. All I have to do is make one phone call", he said firmly.
She didn't like being challenged, but his attempt to intimidate her was rather amusing. She playfully tilted his chin as she grinned at him. He quickly swatted her hand away with a defiant look that said, "Don't touch me."
Dropping her smile, she sighed in mild irritation. "Fine, your precious students will remain unharmed, but don't forget I still have your little experiment and you wouldn't want that secret getting out, now would you?", she uttered. "And you do realize that if you do turn yourself in, the monstrosity I've been keeping safe for you will be forfeit", she warned.
She could see his thoughts battling in his face, but he stared at her firmly. He'd given her too much already. It was time he got something in return.
The words "experiment" and "monstrosity" hit a nerve. "Don't call her that", he warned. She chuckled at his simmering anger. "Do you prefer 'halfbreed'?...You must admit - you didn't think her conception was possible. Why else would you take a lover from another race?", she taunted.
Her double agent evenly held her gaze. He didn't care what she thought of him. His daughter's existence was a closely guarded secret for several reasons, but shame wasn't one of them. She was so young, an easy target in a world full of demons who didn't understand her.
Taking a calming breath, he gathered his nerves. "I'm already handing over one of the best teachers in the netherworld. Don't ask me for anything more", he said, his voice starting to break at the thought of his child being harmed. He was full of self loathing at his actions, but he was living proof that a father would do anything to keep his little girl safe.
Victoria pinched his cheek just to aggravate him; It worked well. "Don't look so sad. Stolas will be fine. I've graciously allowed Lamya to save her before her own life is snuffed out. You're welcome", she said. His stomach turned as remembered the scene. Suzie had lost so much blood. If not for Persephone's phoenix, she would most likely be dead.
"And don't worry. Your sworn wards, the precious students of Babylus, will be fine. I admit I had my eye on a few of them, but I'll settle for the human. The rest of the abnormal class is safe...for now. Should they choose to fight me, their fates will no longer be your concern", she said darkly.
Her agent sighed. He was still in mild disbelief about Iruma's true identity, but he was still a cherished student and was worth protecting just like the others. Unfortunately, his fate was non-negotiable. Ai had made that very clear early on. His child's life for Kalego's and the girl's safe return for Iruma.
It was a steep price, but he was willing to pay it. He only hoped his allies could understand why he betrayed them when it was all over. He wasn't so bold as to ask for their forgiveness; He didn't deserve or want it. He genuinely felt awful about betraying Kalego. They had spent so many years working together, molding the living future, and he really was an excellent instructor. Babylus would certainly mourn his loss. The school would be lesser.
Victoria was growing bored. Besides, she had a couple of things to get ready for. "I'll give back the brat after I've collected my prize. Make sure you're on time tomorrow… See you then, Dali-kun", she winked. Then she vanished, leaving him alone with his crushing guilt.
He knew Sullivan would have found another way to rescue his daughter had he asked, but he'd felt so cornered at her sudden abduction that he'd chosen the shorter, darker path in utter desperation. "Forgive me, Kalego-kun."
to be continued...