Hello, everyone. This is your author in-progress, SecretArtLotus! I am here today to bring you good news instead of bad. And that is, I'm giving you the new chapter of A Problem Devil, Born~ I know it has been some time that I haven't updated but rest assured that the days you waited will not be in vain.

~Daily Answer~

guest 420: I know your confusion but for your sake, you didn't read enough. Try reading it again along with the credits below. You will know then. I apologise for this but you aren't reading everything.

Growolf900: After reading your explanation, I agree that Izayoi's words has a double meaning but not all of his words always have double meaning. As for Asuka's case, I already know of her personality because I read it from the light novel. If you recommend me to watch the anime, it will display little of her personality unlike in the light novels.

{End of Daily Answer}

Without further ado, I present to you A Problem Devil, Born~

Ja'ne! ArtLotus out!

Chapter 44: The Day Before

Flashback…

"I don't think you should do that." Itaku looks up and his eyes widen in surprise at the stretched out hand in front of him. "As far as I know, you're good with your sickle. I don't think I ever saw someone wield a farmer's tool for once to fight." Izayoi explained with an amused smile.

"Is that a compliment?" Itaku asked in amusement before he grabs Izayoi's hand and stands up after Izayoi pulls him up.

"You think it's a compliment?" Izayoi asked with a raised eyebrow while keeping his amused smile as Itaku let out a smile to cross his lips.

"Thank you, Izayoi-sama." Itaku exclaimed with a bow before smiling up at the blonde. "Regarding my sickles, they suit my fighting style than swords." He answered before he lifts the handle of his sickle, the remaining part that was left intact than his sickle's blade which was completely destroyed. "But it looks like I have to buy another one." He stated before he looks at Izayoi. "Izayoi-sama, during our fight, I noticed that you are different from other any Youkais. You don't fit some of the Youkais' descriptions that I've known. Your skin can destroy a blade completely without a scratch." Itaku explained as Reira looks at Izayoi, wanting to know herself about Izayoi after noticing that he wasn't like any other Youkais she had encountered.

"What are you, Izayoi-sama?" Reira asked as a pair of hands wraps around Izayoi before Kuroka leans her chin down on Izayoi's right shoulder and tilts her head endearingly to Izayoi's cheek.

"If you two want to know, you'll just have to come to Yasaka-sama's castle later. We'll then tell you because I don't think the public would take it so well." Kuroka explained as Yasaka nods before she looks at both Itaku and Reira.

"If you would." She said to them as they both nodded accordingly.

Morning

"From what I recall, this is the venue." Itaku exclaimed looking up at castle in front of him as he and Reira stood in front of the Youkai's leader's castle entrance.

"Is it alright if we arrived without them expecting?" Reira asked as Itaku stared at the entrance, noticing two Tengu guards standing on each side of the entrance with their spears in-hand and a sword strapped to their waists. He also notices that they had noticed their arrival and was carefully accessing them with their eyes.

"They certainly expecting us to come." Itaku answered to her before he walked forward as Reira followed him from his left side. When the two of them had arrived at the entrance, two spears blocked their sights as Itaku and Reira stares at the Tengu guards looking at them.

"What is the purpose of your visit?" The right Tengu guard asked as Itaku went to answer before a voice cuts in.

"They came to see me." At this, two Tengu guards pulled their weapons up to their shoulders and stands straight on their feet.

"Izayoi-sama!" The two Tengu guards exclaimed at the presence of the blonde adorning a blue kimono with straw geta shoes.

"Ain't that right?" Izayoi asked as he turns to look at Itaku, who looked eyed wide at the blonde. Smirking at the surprised reaction he got, he turns to Reira and gestured his hand forward. "Since his speechless, why don't we let the girl speak for herself?"

"Uh..." Reira trailed off with a tiny blush on her cheeks from embarrassment. The pink haired then bows her head in greeting. "Thank you for having us here, Izayoi-sama." She said before she lifts her head to look at the blonde smiling at her.

"I don't think I will get used to being call that from a beautiful woman like yourself." Izayoi teases as Reira blushes.

"What are you talking about, I-za-yoi-sa-ma?" With that, a pair of arms wrapped around his right arm as Kuroka smirk up towards him. "Do you forget that I'm here?"

"As a matter of fact, I forgot." The blonde replied with a matching smirk as Kuroka quirks an eyebrow challengingly. Instead of replying to her, the blonde turns to Itaku and Reira. "Why don't we get inside? It'll be better to talk there than here."

"Izayoi-sama~"

"Yes?" Izayoi asked looking at Kuroka with a playful smirk.

"Don't lie or you won't get anything in return, and I mean, anything. To your heart's desire, nya." Kuroka emphasised pushing her breasts against his back as Izayoi kept smirking at her.

"Oh well, I got a lot of chance with Serafall. She'll be trill to hear that piece of information, wouldn't she?" At this, Kuroka's eyes widen before she pouted.

"Mou~Izayoi-kun. That's not fair~ what does she have that I don't?" Kuroka pouted.

"I'm better than you, that's why." A voice cuts in as Izayoi and Kuroka turns around to look at Serafall smirking at the latter.

"I don't recall that you are better at anything than me." Kuroka stated with a light glare as Serafall put her finger on her right cheek and looks up in deep thought.

"Maybe, maybe not. But I'll be able to pleasure Izayoi-kun more than you because I have more chances." At this, Serafall looks at Kuroka with a challenging smile as Kuroka raises her eyebrow before she glares at her back. "Anyway, we shouldn't keep our guests standing for long in the sun. That wouldn't be polite, correct?" Serafall smirked at Kuroka before she smiles at both Itaku and Reira. "Let's go. I'll show you inside." She remarked as she grabs a hold of Reira's right hand and leads her through the entrance towards the castle with Itaku following behind them, leaving both Izayoi and Kuroka standing at the entrance way.

Looking at the Tengu guards, Izayoi nods at them. "Keep up the patrol." He stated as both Tengu guards nodded at him.

"Hai, Izayoi-sama!" They said in unison as Izayoi nods before he looks at Kuroka who wore a frown.

Wearing a smile on his face, the blonde speaks up. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know…But what if she said is true? Somehow, she always gets me…" Kuroka mutters looking down before a hand grasp the top of her right hand causing her to look up at the blonde.

"Do you really believe that?" Izayoi asked her.

"What do you think, Izayoi-kun? Should I change? I mean, I am the one that caused you and Rias-chan to…" Kuroka frowned glancing down.

"Do you think you should worry about that?"

"But without me, you two shouldn't have to fight." Kuroka looks up at the blonde.

"Be that as it may. The only ones that can clear things like this isn't you, Kuroka. It's both the husband and wife." Izayoi explained as Kuroka flinch at his tone, noticing how his tone slightly changes coldly.

Looking down at the blonde's arm, Kuroka mutters. "Okay…"

"Anyway, life isn't perfect." Hearing that, Kuroka looks up. "Sometimes, you'll get some ups and downs on things. This is related to the marriage life I supposed." Izayoi shrugs his shoulders before he looks at Kuroka straight in the eye as a smile forms over his lips. "But you shouldn't change as the result of it. You're alright just the way you are, you know?"

"You think so?"

"I know so. I met you just the way you are. Why would you want to change now?" At this, Kuroka smiles in reminiscence before she redirect the smile at the blonde.

"You're right, Izayoi-kun."

"Anyway, we should get inside. You have someone to settle with right?" Izayoi asked with a smile as Kuroka smiled before nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, she'll regret messing with me."

Line Break

"We're here." Serafall stated as she walk through the entrance of the castle and enters the main room of the castle, followed by Reira and Itaku. Serafall walks forward towards the center of the room where cushion seats situated on each side of the room including two cushion seats in front of her. And also, every seats have small tables each set up in front of them. Turning around, Serafall smiles at both guests before gesturing them towards the cushion seats at her left. "I hope you don't mind sitting for a while."

"No, we don't mind." Reira smiled as she looks at Itaku who nods at her. At the notion, Reira walks towards the right seat and gently sits down on her knees onto the cushion, followed by Itaku who sits next to her. After they sat, a voice voices out along the main room before a blonde girl slides open the door to the main room, catching everyone in surprise except Serafall who smiled at the blonde.

Both Reira and Itaku watch as the blonde walks from the door situated at the far end of the room and stands next to Serafall.

"We have guests?" Kunou asked looking up at Serafall who nodded.

"Yeah, we invited them over. Mostly, Kuroka who invited them."

"Kuroka onee-sama?" Nodding towards her, Kunou turns her head to look at Reira and Itaku. After a while, the blonde smiled and bows her head to them in greeting. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Kunou."

"It's nice to meet you, Kunou. My name is Reira and this is my friend, Itaku." Reira introduced herself before gesturing her hand at Itaku who nods his head when she mentioned him.

"Nice to have you two here, Reira-san, Itaku-san."

"Thank you for having us." At this, Kunou nods before she turns to Serafall.

"Serafall onee-sama, where's Otou-sama?"

"He'll be here in a second. Why do you ask?"

"Okaa-sama said he has to change his bandages."

"Oh, okay. He'll be here." Just as she finishes, the main door of the room slides open and Izayoi entered along with Kuroka in tow. Seeing the two, Serafall turns to the blonde girl that smiled over at her father.

"Otou-sama!" At her call, Izayoi and Kuroka head towards Kunou before stopping in front of her.

"What is it, Kunou?" Izayoi asked letting go Kuroka before kneeling in front of his daughter.

"Okaa-sama called you. She wanted to change your bandages." Kunou explained before adding. "She said that you need to change them or you'll get hurt. And I don't want you to get hurt." Kunou frown lastly as Izayoi nods at her words before pursuing to pat her head.

"I got it. I'll go. In the meantime, why don't you entertain our guests for a while?"

At his request, Kunou let out a smile and nods. "I understand, Otou-sama. I'll entertain them for you."

"Good." Izayoi replied before addressing to the guests. "If you don't mind, I am needed elsewhere." He said before he heads towards the door at the far end of the main room. But halfway through walking, the door slides open to reveal Rias entering the room. Izayoi stops as the red head looks up at the blonde. No words were exchanged by the two as silence overtook them.

Frowning at the silence, Rias decided to break the silence but she was cut off.

"If you'll excuse me." Izayoi said before walking pass her just as Rias open her mouth to speak. The red head closes her mouth as the sound of the door closing greeted her ears and she frowns deeply, which was noticed by everyone who had watched the event.

"Kuroka onee-sama, why is Rias onee-sama sad? Did something happen?" Kunou asked staring at how sad the red head look from her spot. The fox princess look up at the black nekoshou. "Is that why she's sad?"

"…Yes, something happened. But you shouldn't worry about that. Rias onee-sama will be happy again." Kuroka assured Kunou who frowned and look at Rias once more.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. It'll be okay, little fox." Kuroka said grabbing onto the blonde's shoulders to comfort her.

~West Side~

Opening the door to Kunou's room, Izayoi look up at Yasaka sitting in front of him with scrolls of bandages next to her folded knees along with a bucket of water and a rag hanging on the edge of the bucket.

"You called?" Izayoi asked her as Yasaka smiled at him. "Anyway, I don't see why it's necessary to change the bandages. I feel just fine." The blonde assured her, trying to persuade her from changing his bandages that he felt stuffy inside.

"Even if you think you're fine, you aren't sure that your body is fine. Can you?" Yasaka explained. "Anyway, it is Shiroyasha's orders."

"Really? I hardly believe that." Izayoi raises his eyebrow questioningly.

"If you believe or don't, you have to change your bandages, Izayoi-kun. Don't worry, I'll be gentle not to make it too tight." Yasaka smiled softly as the blonde stared at her. After a while, the blonde sighed.

"I think I'll take up your offer just because you're the one changing it. I don't think there's anyone better to change it than you. And I don't think I can imagine Shiroyasha changing it." The blonde explained before sitting in front of her with his back facing her.

Recalling the compliment he gave, Yasaka smiles in appreciation. "Thank you, Izayoi-kun." She thought before she proceeded to start the process of redressing the bandages. "Take off your top." At the order, the blonde strip his top revealing his bandaged body, upsetting Yasaka once she saw the stained blood on his back. Stretching out her hands, Yasaka gently put it on the blonde's back as her nine fox tails moves forward to strip off the bandages from his hands as well as his abdomen.

Time Skip

Staring at his bare hands, Izayoi moves his fingers around for a bit, feeling better without the bandages covering them. And also, he felt at ease with the water flowing through his arm and hands courtesy of a wet rag held by Yasaka that was sitting in front of him rather than behind him earlier. Once the water had rub off the dried red liquid sticking to his arm and hands, the blonde curled his hand into a fist, feeling refreshed as the cold temperature from the water had provided the calmness in his hands.

Tightening his right fist followed by the left, he feels a sense of freedom as he tighten his fists deeper into a ball, cracking the bones in his hands in the process.

"Are you alright, Izayoi-kun?" Yasaka looks up through worry eyes but expecting to saw a pained expression, she was instead greeted by a smile from the blonde.

"Yeah, never felt better. Sucks that I have to wear bandages till I recover though." Izayoi complained as a small smile stretch across her lips. "Other than that, there's nothing restricting me."

"It will be better soon." Yasaka assured watching three fox tails brought the end of the bandage from his back to his abdomen where she clutch it in her fingers and weave around his abdomen, covering the redness that was visible on his abdomen. As she weave through the end of the bandages from his abdomen to his back with the help of her fox tails, Yasaka had covered his abdomen entirely. Clutching the end of the bandage brought from her tails, Yasaka covered the center of the blonde's abdomen before tying a knot through some bandages that she had wrapped around the blonde's abdomen. Once she was done, she looked at her work before she focuses her attention at the blonde's hands, noticing that his hands were better than what she saw the last time.

"But for how long?" At this, Yasaka look up at the blonde who was looking down at himself. "It's already suffering enough when I'm bandaged up like a mummy."

"It will be when you will be recovered fully." Yasaka reassured as Izayoi sigh.

"…I can't argue with the doctor, right?" The blonde glances up at her with mirth.

"You surely can't. Here let's get your hands now. After that, you can go out. We have guests, right?" Yasaka let out a smile.

"Go out, huh? Weird, it feels like get out…" A sad smile formed on the blonde as the smile on Yasaka's face disappears and replaced by a small frown.

"Izayoi-kun, I didn't mean such a thing. I merely stating that you can leave right after this."

"I get what you said. And it's not your fault." The blonde gives her a reassuring smile.

"Is this the event that transpired the other night? Yesterday? Because I saw Rias crying over in the room while Serafall comforted her."

"She cried, huh?" Izayoi glances up at her with a sad smile.

"Izayoi-kun, what is going on between you and Rias? It's gotten me worry about you." Yasaka asked with a small frown as Izayoi looks down for a while before turning to glance at his right.

"It's nothing. Just a conflict between two opposite sides." He coolly answered as Yasaka look at him with a confused expression.

"What do you mean?" At this, Izayoi looks at Yasaka.

"If everyone assumed that you're a criminal where you did a crime but not intentionally, everyone would believe it right from the start because of the committed crime, right?" Seeing Yasaka nods, Izayoi continues. "Anyway, one side wants the criminal be paid for with her life but the other side doesn't want to. It creates a conflict, alright? The one fact that you should know that the other side knows of the woman's crime while that one side doesn't know. What do you think?"

"But even so, criminals should pay to repent. But at the cost of her life…" Yasaka looks down in deep thought before returning to look at the blonde. "Is the crime she committed that horrible?"

"She killed her Master that she had served at the expense of her background and race. Everyone believed that she was drunk in her power which caused the event. The one side believed that rumour but it isn't the truth." Izayoi explained to which causes Yasaka to be confused by him again.

"What do you mean?"

"What if she saved a life in the process when she did the crime? A selfless act? And that life is none other than her own sister?" At this, Yasaka's eyes widen in surprise before she stops to think about what he said. A deep frown smeared her face at the logical thought she had been thinking about the surprising piece of information.

"That…is hard to imagine. I can't even think about the situation she's enduring, and how it might have affected her." Yasaka stated sadly, sympathizing to whoever was the accused criminal, knowing how difficult it is she might feel right now.

"Sadly, I can imagine…" Izayoi mutters as he stared down at the floor.

Looking up, Yasaka quirked an eyebrow questioningly at his tone, almost sensing that the blonde had experienced it before. Before long, Yasaka's eyes widen as she recalled the events that transpired yesterday. "Rias…is that one side while Izayoi…is the other side…But who is the criminal?" She thought deeply as she tried to remember yesterday's event which was recent to her. After a moment, realisation dawned on her at the scene of Izayoi comforting Kuroka last night. And also, she recalled one of her advisers telling her about Kuroka who is a wanted criminal when Izayoi had arrived back for the first time. Her frown deepens as Yasaka looks at Izayoi sitting across from her. Lifting up her hands, she grasp both of blonde's hands and squeezes them comfortingly, causing him to squeeze back just as gently.

"I reckon that you figured it out by now?" Izayoi asked glancing up with a small smile.

"I can't even imagine how Kuroka must have felt right now…Is she alright?"

"You should see her earlier. She wants to get her revenge on Serafall for making fun of her." The blonde answered with a smile. "She's alright. Anyway, I didn't expect you taking all of this so calmly. Are you alright by the fact that she's staying here?"

"Even if she was deemed a criminal by her peers, that doesn't mean she's a criminal. She's entirely different than a criminal, I can vouch for that." Yasaka smiled as Izayoi raised an eyebrow amusingly before he nods.

"If she could hear it from you right now, I'm certain she would be happy to hear just that."

"I'm certain." Yasaka smiled before a frown replace it at another thought that made itself known in her mind. "But... what about the two conflicting sides, Izayoi-kun? They can't be fighting all the time. They should make peace. If there isn't any peace, there wouldn't be any agreement being made and the situation would become worse. Not to them but to the other one also."

"…Don't worry. The one side is clearing things up in her mind that the other side gave. If she is done, then she'll talk; about Kuroka and also about us. She must be questioning herself about all of that in her mind right now." Izayoi explained as he looks at Yasaka. "When it's time, we'll talk."

"What if you reach to a disagreement?"

"Disagreement? I don't think that word will exist." A smile cross his lips as Yasaka stares at him for a moment before her eyes soften.

"I hope that it would not for both of your sakes. And mine's."

~Main Room~

"Rias-chan, why aren't you eating?" Serafall asked with a small frown, noticing the red head sitting next to her, didn't do as much as lifting her chopsticks to eat the meal in front of her.

"…"

"Rias-chan?" Serafall called to try and get a response from her but silence always greeted her.

"Kuroka onee-sama, I don't like seeing Rias onee-sama like this. It makes me sad…" Kunou said looking at the red head who was looking deep in thought and wasn't eating the served food and responding to Serafall that tried to talk to her.

"Me too, little fox. Me too." Kuroka replied watching the red head thinking over something deeply but with a frown on her face, much to her curiosity and slight sadness. "Am I that much of a trouble to them? If I wasn't here, then Izayoi-kun and Rias-chan would still be together and not fight at all." She thought before Izayoi's words repeated through her mind which caused her to pursue her lips before she looks at Rias and there, she had decided to do something. Standing up, Kuroka walk to stand in front of Rias, who was still thinking in deep thought. Kuroka bit her lips before the words came out of her mouth. "…Are you this pathetic, Rias Gremory? I thought you were smarter than just doing nothing."

"What did you say?" Rias lift her head to meet Kuroka's amusing eyes.

"Kuroka-chan, you shouldn't say—"

"If you don't heard me the first time, I guess I should repeat so that you can hear it. You're pathetic, Rias Gremory." Finishing her words, Kuroka look up at Rias who slowly stands up from her sitting position and stands across from Kuroka. The only thing that divides them was the small table in between them.

"Who are you calling pathetic, Kuroka? I am not pathetic." Rias stated with a glare as Kuroka shakes her head before she adress the Gremory Princess with an amused smirk.

"You said it but you don't mean them right? I can tell. Do you want sympathy? Because no one will give you any."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm just saying; do you deserve Izayoi-kun? Because to me, you sure do not act like it." At the mention of the blonde's name, dark red flames engulfed both of Rias's hands.

"What did you say? Correct me if I'm wrong but you shouldn't deserve Izayoi-kun in the first place. You're a criminal that is being hunted from the entire Underworld. You shouldn't even stand near him to begin with." At that, Kuroka felt her heart tightens in a bad way, feeling hurt by the strong words formed from the red head. But she knew if she have to get her friend back to normal, she has to do something. And she can't back down from it.

"I could say the same to you. Why would you care if I stand near him? You don't have the authority to begin with."

"I do. I am his wife."

"His wife…?" Kuroka thought in surprise. "They're married?"

"Are you surprise? Huh, I thought that he wouldn't let you know. You're not special to him enough."

"What did you say?" Kuroka glares at the red head, feeling truly offended. "You know for a wife, you aren't good enough huh?"

"Care to prove me wrong? Or should I prove that you're wrong?" After that, two purple magic circle appears beneath the two of them and suddenly the two disappears out of sight, leaving everyone in shock and surprise.

"Did something happen?" Shiroyasha asked with a yawn as she enters the main room, only to see everyone held a surprised look except Serafall who frowned at the empty spots in front of her.

A purple magic circle formed on a set of man-made path and outcame Rias who looks around the clearing to see that she was on a mountain path. She looks up and she immediately sensed Kuroka's presence at the top of the mountain. Sprouting her wings, Rias ascended to the skies towards the top of the mountain. After a while, the red head found herself arriving at the top of the mountain and she could see the black Nekoshou standing behind a red coloured shrine waiting for her. Descending down, Rias landed on the ground across from Kuroka who looked up at her arrival.

"Took you long enough to get here. Having trouble?" Kuroka asked with a smirk.

"Am I laughing?" Rias asked with a glare before her hands immediately went emblazon in red flames. "Oh, and I almost forgot. Don't hold back, Nekoshou. Izayoi-kun doesn't like weak women."

"Are you calling me weak?" A frown form over Kuroka's lips as her eyes narrows upon the red head's words.

"Are you?"

"Don't expect to cry, Gremory Princess. Princesses shouldn't dirty their reputation on lying. That wouldn't leave a good image, am I right?" Kuroka asked with a small smile before the Nekoshou avoided a fireball thrown by Rias, which slightly burn the ends of her kimono.

"You should know, I purposely did that."

"Well, if you want a fight that badly. Then you're having it." Kuroka replied as a purple magic circle forms behind her back and white balls of energy appears around the octagonal emblem.

"I expected that you wanted it too." Rias said as her eyes glowed red.

~Castle~

Kunou's Room

"Something's not right." Izayoi said as he glances at his right, sensing both Rias and Kuroka's presences disappear. Meanwhile, Yasaka wraps the end of his bandages of his left hand before tying them into a knot, finishing the work on his left hand which only leave the right hand that was left unattended. "Rias and Kuroka…They disappeared."

"The two of them?" Yasaka asked in slight surprise after clutching the scroll of bandages for his right hand. "Why are the two of them…?"

"You felt it, right? Rias releases her powers earlier." Izayoi said as he turns to Yasaka who nods at him.

"I felt the rise of her signature energy."

"Why?"

"She felt distressed, and angry." Yasaka explained recalling the feeling surfacing inside the red head when she felt it the first time. "And before she left, she felt entirely angry. Izayoi-kun do you think they—" When she went to finish her sentence, she was promptly cut off by a surge of energy miles away, catching both of their attention. Yasaka watches Izayoi stands up from his spot and walk out the room to which she followed suit.

Just as she closes the door behind her, Yasaka looks forward at the courtyard in front of her and spotted the blonde standing a few meters from her. His kimono top draped over behind his waist which reveals his bandaged top. She stares at the blonde that was looking at something from afar, causing confusion to settle in her mind. Deciding to follow where his line of sight was, Yasaka's eyes widen at the top of the mountain in the distance, where her eyes trails the line of black smoke coming from the peak of the mountain.

"Okaa-sama!" Yasaka turns her head to the right to see her daughter running towards her in slight distress, which immediately worries her. Kneeling down, she watch Kunou stops to stand in front of her followed by Serafall that appeared behind the little girl.

"What's wrong, musume?" Yasaka asked her daughter with a small frown visible on her face.

"It's about Rias onee-sama and Kuroka onee-sama. Th-They're gone."

"I noticed. Can you tell me why they were gone?"

"Well, Kuroka onee-sama started insulting Rias onee-sama because she didn't talk to Serafall and ate her food earlier. Rias onee-sama responded at Kuroka onee-sama's insult and she insulted her back. And then, the two of them disappeared suddenly." Kunou explained with a frown as she looks directly at her mother, who wraps an arm around her petite body.

"I'm sorry that you had to see that, Kunou."

"What's wrong with the two of them, Okaa-sama? They were very angry at each other, and they started insulting. One of the insults was about Otou-sama and they both went very angry after that. Like very angry."

"It's not their faults, Kunou. Or Otou-sama's fault."

"But why were they fighting?"

"I…don't know about that, musume." Yasaka answered since she was unsure what causes the two Devils to fight at the first place. She was surprised at the news about the two because she didn't expect something so unexpected of them to happen. But when she felt the rise of energy and chi at the same time in the main room, she knew something was going on between the two. Worry etched on her face as Yasaka glances at the blonde who is still looking at the rising smoke on top of the mountain.

"Should we…?" Serafall asked as Yasaka turns at her followed by Kunou. "I mean we can't let them be. They'll get hurt." At this, Yasaka nods in agreement, not wanting both women to be hurt badly or worse.

"We should..." Just as Yasaka answers, she was cut off by Izayoi.

"Let them fight." At his words, everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Otou-sama? Why would you say that?" Kunou asked with a small frown.

"They won't stop fighting if we separate them from their fight. It'll make things worse."

"Do you know why they're fighting, Otou-sama?"

"To settle their differences." Izayoi answered as he looks at his daughter halfway with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, they won't hurt each other that badly. They're just fighting to understand each other."

"Understand each other? Why is that?" Kunou asked as her father walks towards her and stand in front of her where he kneel down upon the edge of the wooden path.

"Why is that? Hm, it's complicated. But you should know that they do it because they wanted to. And I guess for a long time too."

"You knew, Izayoi-kun?"

"I know they would wound up to fight sooner or later because that's the only way to find the answer on all of this. When it's over, they'll know."

"How?"

"If you kept a secret, would you tell them that easily without anything in return? It's the same principle."

"Yeah, but…"

"That's just the way it is. Don't worry, they'll know when to stop." Izayoi assured with a small smile as Serafall looks at the top of the mountain.

"I hope so."

"Anyway, since we got a fight that had established on its own. Why don't we have another fight?" A smirk cross the blonde's face as he look at Itaku standing in front of Reira as the two of them had just came outside to know what happen. "Can you fight? How's your wrist?"

"It's already healed." Itaku replied as Reira look at him.

"Are you settle on another one perhaps?"

"Izayoi-kun, you're not fighting. You aren't in any condition to fight." Yasaka frowned at the blonde.

"I can't just stand around doing nothing while a pair had already started fighting at the top of the mountain, which is a nice setup if I do say so myself." Izayoi stated with a playful nod before he looks at Yasaka. "Come on, it'll just be a spar." He shrugs his shoulders with a easy going smile.

"Izayoi-kun, I am serious. Even it's a spar, you could get injured."

"If I get myself injured." Izayoi stated as Yasaka looks at him in slight confusion. "Let's make a wager, shall we?" He asked raising his eyebrow challengingly as Yasaka stares at him for a moment before replying.

"The conditions?" At this, Izayoi smiled playfully as his bare right hand scratches his head.

"If I can win without injuring myself throughout the fight, I'll win. If I get hurt during the fight, you'll win."

"…What is the prize?"

"For a woman of your status, you'll get to order me around. If I win, then you have to take orders from me. Is that acceptable?" Izayoi asked with a small smirk as he stare at Yasaka to wait for her answer.

Looking at the blonde in front of her, Yasaka kept her poker face before speaking up. "…I accept."

"Okaa-sama…" Kunou frowned looking up at her mother, confused on why she accepted her father's offer. "Why did you say yes?" At this, Yasaka looks down at her daughter and offer her a smile.

"I'm sorry, musume. But your father's stubborn." She said as she glances at Izayoi, who had already moved towards the center of the courtyard. "If this is the only for him to not fight and get hurt again, then this will be a lesson for him for not listening." She smiled at the blonde who sends her a challenging smirk. Looking back at her daughter, Yasaka smiled at her. "Do you understand, Kunou? If Otou-sama lose, we can order him around whenever we want. What do you say?"

At this, Kunou's eyes wide at the statement before a smile cross her lips. "I can too?" Yasaka nods at her daughter to which she watches her daughter turns to her father who was standing in front of Itaku that had arrived at the center of the courtyard. "Otou-sama, please lose! Itaku-san, do your best!"

"Yeah, Izayoi-kun! Do your best on losing!" Serafall shouted with a playful smile as she cheered from the sidelines.

Looking at Kunou, Itaku nods. "As you command, Kunou-sama." He said before turning to Izayoi and spread his arms to his sides causing a pair of sickles to appear in his hands with a phasing shadow-like appearance. "As Kunou-sama permitted, I have no choice to disobey her." He said to Izayoi who only chuckles.

"It looks like everyone is siding against me. What are the odds of that?" Izayoi asked himself in between his chuckles. After a while, the blonde smirked at Itaku as he shift his foot into position. "Oh well, if the stakes are high then there is no question to raise it up a little huh?"

"What?" Itaku asked before watching the blonde tuck his arms behind him.

"If you don't mind, I'll only use my feet. If I use either one of my hands or both, I'll lose." He explained as Itaku looks at him in slight surprise. "Don't worry, this'll make the fight more interesting. It wouldn't be fair if I use my fists, right? I mean, for your sake."

"He's right." Itaku thought at the blonde's statement, recalling that the blows from the blonde's fists could break every bone in his body if he wasn't careful the first time he had gotten hit. Even until now, he could still feel the aching pain in his right wrist. The black haired glances at the worried looking Reira before looking to focus at the blonde. Readying his sickles by spinning them before flicking them, slicing a few grasses in the process.

Seeing the notion, Izayoi smirks before he lock his hands together behind his back. "I'm ready whenever you are. Don't hold back, or it'll be just as boring."

At that, Itaku sprinted towards the blonde and jumps at him. Clenching his sickles, he throws both of his sickles at him.

Looking at the approaching projectiles, the blonde followed his sights at Itaku instead of the sickles. Catching the black haired disappearing from his sights, the blonde let out a smile as he moves his head to the right and shifted his foot at the same time, avoiding both sickles that nearly slices his hair and folded hands. But the blonde suddenly turns around and lift his left leg before stopping mid-way, causing a burst of wind to be released from the force of the leg.

"Don't think you can outwit me that easily." Izayoi said with a smirk that was directed at Itaku standing in front of him with his sickles posed to strike him. But the black haired held surprised in his wide eyes as he stare at the leg that posed to strike his stomach but it was stopped mid way. But that wasn't the cause of his surprise but the force that the blonde emitted from his leg was powerful; he could feel the force knocking the wind out of his lungs.

"Why is Itaku-san looked so surprised?" Kunou asked as she saw nothing but her father attempting to kick the black haired but had stopped mid way to which caused the black haired to appear speechless, confusing her.

"Because Izayoi-kun had strike him first." Serafall answered as Kunou looked at her.

"But I don't see Otou-sama's kick connecting to Itaku-san."

"That's why. You can't see it entirely. You can only sense and feel to know."

"Sense and feel?" Kunou asked herself as she look at her father smirking over Itaku's surprised state. Meanwhile, Yasaka stares at Izayoi, noticing how he looked confident without a doubt and his smirk made her feel overwhelmed for some reason.

"Anyway…The fun isn't starting yet. It's just about to begin."

At the words ringing in his ears, Itaku narrows his eyes as his eyes turns slits before changing back, which was noticed by Izayoi who only smirk wider.

"Whenever you like to, don't be afraid to show it." Izayoi stated surprising Itaku. Letting down his leg, Izayoi watches Itaku jumps away immediately and lands a few feet from him. He watches as Itaku lift his right sickle to his mouth and bite it, before letting down his bare hand at his side and instantly another sickle appeared itself in his said hand. "So you're serious from now on, eh?" He smirked before crouching down and shoot himself towards Itaku who raises his sickles instinctively. "Don't lose your streak now!" After that, an explosion went off and covered the area with smoke.

Meanwhile at the peak of the mountain...

"Do you know what I hate the most right now? Those wings of yours. Can you please not fly away from me, so that I can shoot you down like a fly you are nya?" Kuroka exclaimed in slight annoyance as she watches the red head dodged one of her energy balls followed by the others.

"Since when I'm a fly? As you can see, you're a fly too." Rias replied as she lifted her hands and blasted an energy ray where Kuroka was standing but the Nekoshou had disappear before it could touch her. "If you know how to fly that is." She finishes watching as Kuroka appears a distance away from the spot that had been destroyed by her energy ray.

"I do not need to fly, thank you very much. But it isn't fair that you're the only one that can fly isn't that right? So why don't you fly down and fight fair?"

"Are you kidding? It will be a waste to my apparent advantage."

"So be it. There's only one way to shoot a fly down." Kuroka exclaimed as she perform a few handseals with her finger.

"Do you think you can do that again?" Rias asked before her eyes widen as she saw Kuroka fading out from existence. The red head then immediately turns around to watch a spinning magic circle nearing her. Instinctively, she form a protective magic circle to block against it. But when the attack connected, Rias's eyes widen at the great force pushing against her before her ears heard the breaking sound of her protective shield. Her eyes widens as light covered her.

"Boom." Kuroka playful tone could be heard as she watches the explosion went off in the skies on top of a branch and watch as the red head falls to the ground right after. "This is so fun." She commented before she wince at the pain on her thigh, recalling she dodged the first assault of the red head's but one of which had slightly burn her thigh as a result. Looking back at the spot where the red head had fell, Kuroka hop off from her spot to head towards the red head.

"Ugh…" Rias utters as she winced at the pain enveloping her entire body. Lifting her hand, she felt it was difficult to even lift it than before. As the red head tried to stand up amidst the immense pain, she lift her head to look upon Kuroka's form walking towards her with her well known smirk.

"What has the Gremory Princess gotten herself into? This isn't proper for princesses like you to ruin your image, ain't that right nya?"

"…"

"Speechless to say anything? I thought it would shut you up for once. You really have to take a joke lightly, you know? You're too serious."

"Then isn't Izayoi-kun important?"

"Huh?"

"You asked if I deserve to be his wife, do you think it is not insulting enough?"

"Then if you're his wife, why couldn't you trust him more?" At this, Rias looks up and slightly glares at Kuroka.

"…I trust him. I always trusted him. And I never doubted…" Mid way of finishing the sentence, Rias quieted down as she suddenly recounted the night she didn't put her trust on the said blonde. All because of her naivety of not trying to give him an explanation or try to listen to him even if she didn't like it.

"We're not always perfect." Rias looks up at Kuroka. "Nobody has a perfect life. Even Izayoi-kun."

"Izayoi-kun?"

"Having a power no humans has, is not normal. How do you think he tried to fit in when he was a child?"

"I didn't know…And I was supposed to know him." Rias narrows her eyes with a frown as she bit her lips and hang her head down.

Seeing the red head appearing defeated in front of her causes Kuroka to frown.

"Don't blame yourself, nya. You don't know."

"That's just it, I don't know him. Not enough to trust him..."

"What's your problem? Why is it so hard to trust him?"

"You don't know about being in my shoes."

"Then tell me how it feels being in your shoes."

"If you were seen with Izayoi-kun in the Underworld, what would they respond? What would they act if he seen with the most wanted criminal that he evidently has a relationship with her? One that killed her master in cold blood and abandoned her sister?" Rias looks up at Kuroka and her eyes saw the tiny glint of hatred in her, frightening her. "They'll…They'll definitely do something to the two of you. They will declare Izayoi-kun as an enemy and what would that leave us? Leave me to do than leave him?"

"Are you that dumb? Are you seriously worried about that for nothing?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"That's my part to worry about. Not yours. And also, you're worried too much about your reputation as a Gremory. Why don't you think as yourself? Without the fancy name."

"What do I think as myself?"

"Don't care about your family name. If it stops you from getting something you want, then just don't. It's that simple. And if you don't want to leave Izayoi-kun just because you can somehow predict the future, then don't. You cannot predict the future. You're the one that will determine your own future. And just so you know, you have your family to help you. They will never abandon you, and so is you friends and Izayoi-kun. Me too, if you count me in." Kuroka smiled down at the red head who looks surprise at her words. "And if you'd think you can separate me from Izayoi-kun, you got it wrong. I'm going to stay with him whatever happens. I don't care what you or the Underworld has to say, I will always love him." Kuroka declared with confidence and no doubt apparent in her tone as Rias's eyes widen. "I know you and Izayoi-kun fought because of me but did you ever try to listen to him for once?"

"…I had no idea, alright? I was so blind to see past my anger. When I think about it, I can't help but regret it." Rias said sadly as she clenches her hands. "Maybe I'm jealous because Izayoi-kun kept defending you for something that everyone knows you've done but not intentionally. He said it wasn't intentionally, is he right?" Rias asked looking up at Kuroka for the answer. "I couldn't trust him enough to find out why, but I just want to know that for now." She explained as she stares at Kuroka determinedly, wanting to find out the answer that she regretted not jumping on the chance the last time.

"…What Izayoi-kun said, he's right." Kuroka answered glancing down as Rias stares at her before nodding along.

"I understand." She said while keeping herself professional since she knows not to let her emotions run wild and go out of control. She knew the feeling that she got after emotionally losing control the last time.

"…The only thing I can tell you is I live in an illusion under that master…Both me and Shirone…" Rias's eyes gazes over at the sadden Kuroka as she watches her reaction with a tint of sadness in her eyes, noticing how it was difficult to tell about her past.

"…Alright." Rias answered as Kuroka looks at her. "I know now." She looks up and smiles, surprising Kuroka. "Thank you for everything, Kuroka. Anyway, shall we continue?"

"...What?" Kuroka watches as Rias sprouted her wings as a red aura was visible covering her entire body.

"We can't just leave like this. The others wouldn't believe us then."

"Believe me or you?" Kuroka asked with a small smirk evident on her lips.

"Believe me. I may have too much pride in this fight but I will not go down this easily. Not without achieving something." Rias stated as a purple magic octagon appears behind Kuroka's back as white energy balls simultaneously appeared one after another at every corner of the hexagon. "Although this doesn't seem much, nya. But let's see how you can go against this again." Kuroka explained with a small smirk as Rias stares at her while concentrating her overall energy in her body that she hadn't spent throughout their battle. At the center of the decimated area, the atmosphere that enveloped the area was growing thicker by the minute from the constant increase of both energy and chi at the same time. The black Nekoshou looked at her opponent and noticed the glowing red eyes that had appear itself before her, realizing that her opponent would expel a strong frontal attack. As she stared at her opponent, she also noticed that the aura enveloping the red head was growing thicker and thicker, turning the color red into crimson. "She is taking this seriously." Kuroka thought seeing the red head looking at her directly with determination. Displaying a smile, Kuroka thrust her right hand forward, causing the white energy spheres to combine altogether to form an energy circle that instantly shoot towards the red head while spinning violently non-stop.

Seeing the attack approaching, Rias recalled the time where she struck down by the same attack, knowing how powerful the attack was if contacted. At the thought, she unconsciously slowly lift both of her palms forward. Noticing her stance and knowing that she never had use this type of approach before, she decided to concentrate all of her pent energy into her hands to which causes the energy to form a concentrated ball of energy in between her palms, surprising the red head seeing as she felt the dense energy of the ball which tries to pull her. Letting out a smile at her achievement of the new form of attack, she started to make the sphere bigger until its size fits both of her palms. After that, she shoots it forward towards the energy circle approaching nearer at her. Rias watches as her condensed sphere contacted with Kuroka's energy circle. At that moment, Rias's eyes widen in surprise as she witness her sphere disintegrates Kuroka's energy circle completely before chunks of earth were pulled from the ground itself towards the dark sphere. At that moment, Rias watches as she felt herself getting pulled towards the sphere along with Kuroka. Pulling her hands away, Rias flew away from the magnetic force that grasp at her body but she noticed that she could only fly ever so slowly since she was close to the sphere. Thinking back, Rias stretches her palms forward to control the sphere and dispel it immediately but her eyes fail to see that the sphere didn't compress itself and continue to absorb the chunks of earth and trees around the area. "I-I can't…" Rias thought in slight fear before a voice breaks her out of her thoughts.

"Rias-chan!" Rias turns to the right and is greeted by Kuroka, who grasp her hand before they vanished out of sight via teleportation.

Meanwhile in the courtyard…

"Okaa-sama, why can't Itaku-san hit Otou-sama? He seems so slow compare to Otou-sama." Kunou stated as she saw Itaku weave his sickles to the left and right, trying to land a single scratch on the blonde that was dodging the attacks ever so easily.

"Otou-sama is deniably faster than Itaku-san, musume." Yasaka answered seeing Izayoi jumps back followed by Itaku who jumps forward. But just as the blonde lands in the precise moment Itaku touches the ground, he sidekick his ankles, causing Itaku to fall back to the ground in a heap. "And a better fighter." She added before her eyes widen at the instant rise of energy at the location where Rias and Kuroka were. She looks up at the peak of the mountain in front of her and saw a tiny dot that was visible in her sights. From that dot, she could feel the dense energy from it and radiating in a strange way. "What is this…?" Yasaka thought before her eyes glances at Izayoi who had taken the liberty to see the tiny dot in the distance.

"What is this strong energy?" Reira asked out loud before she looks up at the peak of the mountain in her sights and gasp in surprise. Meanwhile, Itaku who was lying on the ground push himself to sit, wondering where the immense energy was coming from earlier and such, discovered the energy was coming from the peak of the mountain at his left. His eyes focused at the peak, ignoring the fight that had taken place seconds ago.

"This energy…" Serafall mutters as her wide eyes look at the peak of the mountain just as she sensed the presence of the dense energy herself. "…is Rias-chan's! But how…?" She asked in a whisper at the last part before she and Yasaka watch Izayoi crouched before disappearing in a blur, leaving nothing but cracks within the ground he stood.

"Okaa-sama, what's going on?" Kunou asked as her ears drop a bit and look at the energy she felt at the peak of the mountain in the distance. "This energy belongs to Rias onee-sama. Why is it so strange?" A small frown cross her small face as Kunou grips onto the sides of Yasaka's skirt in slight fear. "It's like pulling me…" As she finishes, Yasaka's eyes widen as her daughter's words matches the description of the strange energy flow she felt. Grasping her daughter's right hand in reassurance, she squeeze comfortingly.

"Don't worry, musume. You're not going anywhere. I'm here with you and so is, Serafall." Yasaka comforted with a smile as Kunou looks up at her before glancing at the corner of her eyes where her father stood seconds before he disappears. Noticing the direction her eyes held, Yasaka immediately knows her daughter's worries right now.

Meanwhile at the peak of the mountain…

A purple octagon appears in front of the red shrine as Rias and Kuroka reappears magically and stand upon the magic octagon. The two of them looks at the dark sphere pulling everything in slow velocity while it stood at its spot. The earth beneath the sphere had already been pulled towards the sphere and disintegrated instantly at the slight touch of the sphere.

"Rias, how did you do it?" Kuroka asked watching the sphere pull the chunks of earth and disintegrate it within milliseconds. "And do you know how to stop it? If we don't stop it, I don't think it will ever stop until it destroyed this entire mountain." She explained as Rias stares at the dark sphere before shaking her head.

"I-I don't know how to stop it. I tried but it can't seem to stop."

"What? Are you kidding?" Kuroka asked in slight shock.

"No, I'm not."

"Can you at least try it one more time? Maybe you can stop it this time." At this, Rias hesitated before complying her request and lift her palms at the sphere. She inhale a deep breath and exhale the air, calming herself, knowing that she had to stay calm under the situation. After a moment, Rias clenches her palms. But after a while, the sphere didn't disappear nor did it stop its magnetic force from pulling everything and disintegrating it into nothingness.

Hardening her face, Rias tried to stop the sphere by clenching her palms and subsiding the sphere before it could do anymore damages to the surface of the mountain. But after a while of concentration, Rias lowers her hands and shakes her head slowly. "I can't…stop it." She frowned deeply as Kuroka looks at her before she focuses onto the sphere and step forward to act.

"Then I'll just have to teleport it from here." Kuroka declared as she lift her right hand but before she could, a hand grips onto her arm.

"You can't!" At this, Kuroka looks at Rias in confusion.

"Why not? If we leave it right here, this whole mountain will be destroyed, nya! Do you want that to happen?"

"And do you know what will happen if you teleport to somewhere else? We can't predict that it will stop once it will stay there. We can't risk it, not if there are lives involved." Rias reasoned to which cause Kuroka to rethink her actions. "I know you want to do it, but we can't possibly risk the safety of the people. If we teleport it to another dimension, we don't know the effects that it will take right after. It will damage the paradox of the dimension and causes something that we wouldn't want to know."

"…You're right, Rias nya. I don't know what I was thinking…" Kuroka mutters with a frown but a hand softly placed on her shoulder, causing her to look at the red head smiling at her.

"It's okay. You didn't know. But it's entirely my fault that this happens in the first place. And so," Rias looks at the medium sized dark sphere as a red aura envelope her entire body. "I will do everything in my power to end it." She finishes before she take a step forward and spreads her arms before shooting a wide array of her Power of Destruction in the form of a raging blast that strikes the dark sphere in the center. But just as soon as the blast hit it, the sphere stood in its place and disintegrates everything still. "I will not yield!" She thought as she pushes all of her energy to try and destroy the dark sphere. But as she noticed that her effort didn't bear any fruits, she desperately pushes every energy within her body to add to the blast that had grew larger than before, ignoring the fact that she was at her limits already. As she went on blasting every energy she got, the red head noticed her eyes were getting hazy and fuzzy by the second. Before long, she felt her knees grow weak and Rias watches as she fall forward but she was stop by a pair of arms catching her in time. The red head took a second to look at Kuroka's surprised face before darkness overtook her. As she closed her eyes, she didn't hear the sound of an explosion and after that, a sense of warmth overwhelmed her to which cause a smile to appear on her features.

~Castle~

Night

~Guest Room~

"Rias-chan…" Serafall mutters as she looks down at the red head lying on the bed in front of her knees. The black haired reaches out her hand and grasp Rias's right hand and squeezes it reassuringly. Even if she was asked to wait patiently and stay strong, she can't help the constant frown appearing on her face whenever she saw the red head for the first time after she had been healed by both Yasaka and Shiroyasha. A blanket had covered the red head until her chest to which also covers the new kimono that she adorned. "Wake up soon." Serafall whispers before letting go of the red head's hand and left the room, leaving her lying in the room alone. But as she left the room, she was unaware of the eyes that weakly open themselves, having heard the last words of the woman.

"Serafall…"

~Main Room~

Entering the room, Serafall looks up to see Izayoi lifting both of his hands up in surrender in front of the smiling Kunou and Yasaka. She raises her eyebrow in confusion as she walks towards Yasaka who sits a few feet away from the daughter and father.

"Although when I think about it, it isn't fair."

"Why not? You lose fair and square, Otou-sama. You said it yourself earlier."

"Did I? I didn't remember." Izayoi smiled playfully. "So, since the evidence isn't here, then I don't have to obey you and your mother."

"Mou, Otou-sama. That's really not fair!" Kunou pouted cutely which causes Izayoi to laugh as Serafall sits next to Yasaka who glances at her arrival.

"How is she?" Yasaka smiled gently.

"…She's fine." Serafall answered with a frown. "But she's still not waking up."

"That is to be expected. She used a lot of energy than she hoped to use. It's not your fault."

"I know, but seeing Rias-chan lying in the room. It's the first time I saw her like that." Serafall explained as Yasaka nods in understanding. "Anyway, why's Kunou so worked up about?" Serafall questioned as she focuses on looking at Kunou crossing her arms at her Izayoi who just laughs. At hearing her question, Yasaka smiled before turning to look at both her daughter and Izayoi.

"You remember that Izayoi-kun made a wager that if he were to use his hands, he would lose right?" At this, Serafall recalled the bet that both Izayoi and Yasaka agreed on before the battle between him and Itaku.

"Yes." She nods as Yasaka continued.

"Well, when Izayoi-kun had gone off to where Rias and Kuroka were, he used his hand to destroy the cause of the energy everyone sensed. He said it himself that he used his hand during that period and it is still accountable to be accepted for."

"You mean, he admit that he lose?"

"Yes, but sadly he wouldn't admit his loss after he had clearly said it before." Yasaka watches as her daughter lightly punches Izayoi in the head but the act didn't cause him any pain and instead it just made him smile in playfulness. At watching the scene, a soft smile cross Yasaka's lips. "Now, Kunou is trying to get him to tell the truth but it seems she lost her patience."

"I can see that." Serafall let out a smile at watching Izayoi reach out his hands and tickle at Kunou's sides, causing her to stop punching his head and tried to push away his hands with her own while she laughs.

"Otou-sama, stop!" Kunou tried pushing her father's hands from tickling her but to no avail as she undeniably laugh more. "It's ticklish!"

"Who says?" Izayoi smiled raising an eyebrow before he proceeded to tickle at her stomach which caused Kunou to fall to the floor and rolled to the side, trying to stop the tickling that had been targeted at her stomach. Amidst watching the two, Serafall glances unexpectedly at Izayoi's right hand, noticing that it was wrapped under bandages compare to the time where he fought Itaku without the bandages while his left had been wrapped under them ever since. Just as her thoughts were wrapped onto the blonde's hand, she recalled the events earlier where she, Yasaka along with Kunou and Reira waited the blonde who had gone off to the peak of the mountain to investigate the strange energy belonging to Rias. A small frown curves downwards as she remembers the moment when the blonde arrived back from his investigation.

Flashback…

~West Side~

"Yasaka-sama, look at that!" Serafall pointed her finger at the peak of the mountain all of the sudden, catching everyone's attention.

"What?" Yasaka look up from sitting over the edge of the wooden path while holding onto her daughter who had taken position to sit on her lap to wait for her father to return. Her eyes widen just in time as she watches the tiny dot that had been visible on the peak of the mountain moments earlier, disappears without a trace. Yasaka then watches in slight surprise at the burst of wind bursting out from the top of the mountain when the tiny dot disappears and smoke started to replace it as it rises above the mountain.

Not a moment too soon, her daughter pull on her sleeve. "Okaa-sama!" She called as Yasaka looks down at her before she looks up at the purple octagonal emblem that stood a few feet from them.

Standing next to them, Serafall watches as Izayoi and Kuroka suddenly appears in front of the purple emblem. At that moment, Serafall looks at the blonde who carried a bundle of red hair in his arms which causes her eyes to widen in surprise at the condition of the red head where she notices the shredded fabric over her entire kimono; such as her sleeves which had been burned slightly and tiny holes decorating the fabric over her chest and stomach along with her skirt, exposing slightly of her skin. A frown appears over her lips as Serafall's eyes trail over the red bruises over her exposed arms. But then, she was shaken from her thoughts by Yasaka's voice.

"Serafall. Take care of Kunou for me." Serafall looks up at Yasaka looking at her before she turns to Kunou who already seated next to her. Nodding towards Yasaka, Serafall wraps her left arm over Kunou, grasping her left shoulder as she felt Kunou's head lean against her left side. She along with Kunou watch as Yasaka walk towards Izayoi before stopping in front of him and looks down at the red head in his arms. Serafall watches the corners of Yasaka's lips curve downwards as she accessed the damages on the red head. "What happen?"

"She spent all of her energy." The one to answer her was none other than Kuroka standing next to Izayoi.

Yasaka glances at her and nods at her before she turns to the unconscious red head in front of her. With a slow nod, Yasaka looks at Izayoi directly. "Get her to her room. I will get Shiroyasha—"

"No need." Serafall looks at her right and saw Shiroyasha walking pass her back before standing next to Kunou who looked up at the white haired. The two of them watch Shiroyasha turn to both Yasaka and Izayoi. "I already set up everything." Once she said that, Yasaka glances over her shoulder at Izayoi and gives a nod, to which he nods in return.

"You should go first. I will be there shortly." At this, Izayoi walk pass Yasaka and climb up onto the wooden path, passing over Shiroyasha before he heads towards the guest room with Rias in his arms, leaving everyone outside.

Once he was gone, Kunou looks at her mother walking up towards her and smiled down at her before kneeling in front of her. "Musume, can you be with Serafall for a while?" At this, Kunou nods but with a small frown on her face.

"Okaa-sama, will Rias onee-sama be alright?"

"She will be."

"Yeah, don't worry, Kunou. Your mother and I, will get her better." Shiroyasha added with a smile Kunou looks at her and gives a nod. Smiling at her, Shiroyasha turns to Yasaka before turning to leave.

Looking at the leaving Shiroyasha, the blonde turns to her daughter and plants a kiss on her forehead. "Okaa-sama will be back, alright?" With that, Kunou nods at her words.

"Please make Rias onee-sama better, Okaa-sama. I don't like to see her like that." Kunou frowned as Yasaka's eyes soften.

"I will, Kunou." Yasaka stands up and nods at Serafall who nods back before she leaves the two of them towards the guest room.

"Serafall-san?" At her name being called, Serafall looks at Reira standing at her right.

"Yes?"

"I understand that this is sudden but I think that we should not be staying here any longer."

"Huh?" Kunou asked in surprise as she looks at Reira from her position. "Why, Reira-san? You just came here."

"Kunou-sama, I do not mean to be rude but this is not the right time that you should be treating your guests any longer if a tragedy happened." Reira explained with a small smile. "It will be uncomfortable for us if we stay here any longer than we should."

"Really?" Kunou asked with a frown as Reira smiles and nods. "But can't you stay for a little bit? We just met." At this, Reira glances at Itaku who had stood up and looks at her questioningly.

Before long, a small smile cross Reira's lips as she looks at Kunou. "Why not? Maybe we can talk about the festival tomorrow." Hearing the words, Kunou smiled widely.

"The Gion Festival! We can meet you and Itaku-san there!" She exclaimed as Reira nods.

"The more, the merrier, right?" Kunou smiled at her before something caught her eye. Quickly muttering an apology, Kunou jumps from the edge of the wooden panels, surprising Serafall and Reira. The two women look at the blonde girl heading towards the black haired nekoshou and watches as Kunou grabs a finger of Kuroka's right hand, catching her attention.

"…What is it, little fox?"

"Let's go, Kuroka onee-sama. You look sad." Kunou let out a smile as she look at Kuroka who stares at her before her eyes soften. "And tomorrow is Gion Festival! So cheer up! Rias onee-sama will be alright with Okaa-sama! She's good at keeping the boo-boo's away!" She exclaimed as Kuroka smiles before she look up in deep thought.

"Tomorrow is the festival, huh?" She asked herself before she smiles down at Kunou. "Well, we should get prepared right?" At this, Kunou's eyes widen in realisation before she smiled widely at Kuroka.

"Yeah, we should get prepared first! And get our yukatas! Especially you, Kuroka onee-sama!"

"Huh?"

"You should wear a new yukata for yourself! We can go right now to get your measr—me—" Kunou narrows her eyes at the hard word that she tried to pronounce.

"Measurement." Serafall finishes for her as she stood over Kunou and smiled over Kuroka who look at her. "You never went with us the last time, is that right Kuroka-chan? Well, your in luck because now you can finally get your own festival themed yukata!" Serafall smiled. "There's a lot of colours to look at and also, every fabric is beautiful! You can choose one or mash them to suit your taste. Whichever one you like! Isn't that great?"

"Are you telling me that I can't wear as I am now to the festival?" Kuroka raises her eyebrow while hiding a mischievous smile at the corner of her lips as Serafall look at her in surprise.

"No!" She exclaimed flustered. "You can wear it as you like, but…" She trailed off before she smiled widely at the black haired nekoshou. "It'll be better if you got a new one just for the festival only. I mean, the festival is special so you have to be special yourself." After she finishes, Kuroka's eyes widen slightly before a smile spread across her face.

"Special, huh?" At this, Serafall nods.

"And we can show to Otou-sama tomorrow!" Kunou cheered spreading her arms wide. "He'll be so happy!" Hearing this, Kuroka smiles down at the blonde.

"Without a doubt." Kuroka said to her before she glances at Serafall who saw the mischievous glint in her eyes. "It doesn't hurt to let Izayoi-kun be happy right? He deserve it after all. Right, nya?" Kuroka looks down at Kunou who nods at her happily. "Well, what are we waiting for? We should get going."

"Oh! Wait!" Kunou stated as both Serafall and Kuroka watch her look at Reira talking to Itaku from behind them. "Reira-san!" At her call, both Reira and Itaku look at her. "Do you want to come with us?"

"Where to?" Reira asked.

"We are going to get our new yukatas for the festival! Do you want to come along? You can get your own yukata too."

"Me? But…" Reira hesitated before a hand found itself on her right shoulder and she looks at Itaku who nods at her. At the notion, she smiles before she directed it at Kunou. "I would love to, Kunou-sama." At the statement, Kunou smile and look at both Serafall and Kuroka.

"Now we can go."

"You said the words, little fox." Kuroka said before a hand grasp her right hand and her surprised eyes look at Kunou smiling up at her while holding onto her hand. At this, Kuroka smile softly before she grasp Kunou's hand in return.

Looking at the scene in front of her, Serafall smiled, happy to see her friend back. Although one of them isn't with them at the moment but she figured that the three of them would be together for tomorrow. She had a good feeling about it. Letting out a smile to grace her lips, Serafall looks at Kunou. "We should go now before night comes in. Tomorrow is a special day right?" As she finishes, Kunou smiles up at her.

"Right!"

Present

A smile was visible on Serafall's face as she recalled the wonderful time the four of them spent on searching a yukata for both Kuroka and Reira. Unfortunately, the former did not want her help and instead search for her own. Although, it upsets her but she knew that she did not have a choice on the matter since it was her yukata. With that, she complied with Kuroka's request and helped Reira on finding her yukata with the help of Kunou much to the blonde's delight. After Reira had found her yukata along with Kuroka, the four of them went back to the castle to where they bid their farewell to both Reira and Itaku. Both of them bid back and thanked them for their hospitality before promising to meet them in the Gion Festival tomorrow night. Upholding them to their made promise, She, Kuroka and Kunou went back inside the castle and learned of Rias's current condition to which caused her to head towards their room and to find not only Yasaka but Shiroyasha only. She questioned about Izayoi's whereabouts but Yasaka had told her that he just went out after confirming Rias's condition. Although she was curious why he went out and instead of staying next to his wife where he should, Yasaka explained again that the blonde left because he wanted to give her time to rest. Understanding fully of his reason, she decided to stay by Rias's bed side after both Yasaka and Shiroyasha had went out to not disturb the red head's recovery. Knowing that she had been given little time to stay next to her bed ridden friend, she stayed while watching her best friend in a state of sadness.

But now, watching Izayoi plays along with Kunou in front of her, she reminded herself the look of sadness on Kunou's face when she heard the recent news of Rias's condition just as they got back to the castle and bidding their guests farewell. A smile played on her lips as she watches Izayoi and Kunou playing with smiles on their faces. Just as she sat watching them, her eyes wander back to Izayoi's right hand that was bandaged up till his wrist compared to his left which was wrapped to his elbow.

Sensing her curious gaze, Yasaka voices out the woman's curiosity. "I noticed his hand when he had return with both Rias and Kuroka. It was hardly an exaggeration; it's mostly surprising. Whatever power Rias had on making the energy, it was enough to graze Izayoi-kun's skin. Although, he say that it didn't hurt and his hand didn't bleed but the damage was enough to leave cuts and scratches all over his knuckles."

"Really?" Serafall asked with wide eyes, surprised by the piece of information given to her. "I didn't know that it would injure Izayoi-kun considering he's tougher than anyone."

"Yes, that is so. But nevertheless, it is impressive to see how this new power of hers could improve this much and put a scratch on the strongest human." Yasaka explained smiling as Serafall nods in agreement.

"The strongest human, huh?" Serafall looks at the blonde woman. "At first, I never thought a human could become strong since the only thing they can be strong is if he or she were resurrected to become a Devil. But after I gotten to meet Izayoi-kun, I was gravely mistaken. When I found out about his power, it was hard to believe at first but I learn to accept it; to find that he is the only human that can beat a Satan without even trying. Poor, Sirzechs-chan." She giggled under her hand as Yasaka looks at her, amused.

"Sirzechs. Is he one of the Satans that ruled over the Underworld?" Hearing her question, Serafall nodded.

"Yeah, there are four of us. He's our leader. Everyone calls him Lucifer because that is his title as a Satan."

"The Lucifer beaten by a human? That must be quite embarrassing." Yasaka stated as she laugh under her hand while Serafall laugh along.

"Yeah, it is. But that's what he get for kidnapping the strongest human."

"True."

"I can't help but heard the strongest human. Who is he?" Izayoi asked amusingly as he looks at both Yasaka and Serafall while Kunou lay on his lap asleep, her back facing his chest. "Do I know him?" Just as he finishes, Kunou started to turn to her right.

"Otou-sama…stop talking…" Kunou said sleepily before she started dozing off. Raising an eyebrow at her daughter in amusement, the blonde shakes his head before he started to lift her daughter and stands up, carrying her in his arms with her head laying on his left shoulder.

"I better take her to bed before she starts waking up." Izayoi said to Yasaka, who nods with a smile. At her confirmation, the blonde walks over to the double door and left the room, leaving the two women towards Kunou's room.

~West Branch~

Walking along the halls, the blonde found himself outside and he turns a corner heading towards where Kunou's room. Once he arrived at the door of the room, he opens and enters, closing the door in the process. Reaching at the bed lying in front of him, he gently kneels on his knees and gently puts down Kunou who after feeling the soft material underneath her, she started to smile in bliss. Seeing this, the blonde smile softly before he reaches the bed sheets below Kunou's feet and slowly drags it over her waist. Just as he done that, the blonde leans down and pecks her daughter on the forehead before standing up to leave.

"Good night…Otou-sama…" Izayoi stares down at Kunou muttering those words sleepily before he turns around and slides the door open with a smile.

"Good night, Kunou." With that, the blonde closes the door just as he step out of the room, leaving Kunou to sleep peacefully.

Walking outside of the castle's inner side, Izayoi looks at the night sky as he walk. Passing one support pillar to another, he didn't noticed the woman standing a few feet away in front of him. When the blonde turns to look forward, his eyes caught the color crimson as the color waves at him under the light breeze that blows in the night. He stops to stand and look at Rias who was evidently standing in front of him as she stared out into the open where her eyes gazes over the night sky with a soft smile.

"Rias…" Calling out her name, the said red head turns to face the blonde with a surprised look as she didn't notice the blonde standing nearby. "You were supposed to be in your room, recovering." Just as he finishes, Rias lightly laughed under her hand, confusing him.

Sensing his confusion, Rias smiles over at the blonde. "…I thought you wouldn't talk to me considering that we never talk today or yesterday. I thought we were…" Izayoi's eyes catch a few tears that started to fall under her eyes. "We were never going to talk at all." At this, Izayoi moved forward to stand in front of her as Rias looks up at him while brushing away her tears.

"Are you okay? You shouldn't be out yet."

"I'm fine. I can heal myself, alright? I'm just drained, that's all. That's my first time using every bit of my energy. I never thought it feel so draining to me." Rias smiled weakly as Izayoi frowned slightly.

"You should rest. We'll talk later when you're feeling better." Izayoi stated before he walk pass her, surprising Rias as her eyes widen at his cold statement.

"No…" Hands clenching, Rias bit her lips. "No." She said out loud for the blonde to hear, to which causes Izayoi to stop but he didn't turns to face her. "I can do it. I want us to talk about it. I don't want to be like this. I don't want to walk around this castle without my husband knowing that if I existed or not. You know, it hurts. Whenever you walk pass me, you're like ignoring my existence and it hurts. Every minute when I think about it, it hurts." Rias looks forward. "And I don't want to be like that anymore, I want my husband back. I want you, Izayoi-kun and no one else." She finishes as she waited for the blonde to respond while supressing the disappointment and hurt that she felt inside each second the silence greeted her.

"…So, Kuroka told you everything?" The blonde asked as Rias frowned, recalling back to where Kuroka had answered her question but it wasn't a big reveal to her past that she anticipated but he had least got a look to her past.

"…Not all of them. She said that she had been living in an illusion under her master along with Koneko which she called Shirone."

"…Yeah, that's right. Her master provided them with a luxury home in exchange of Kuroka's service to be his Bishop. But the master had specifically took those two for other goals rather than recruiting them into his peerage."

"Why is that? What other goals?" Rias asked feeling curious at the blonde's statement but at the same time she can't help but feel the deep sinking feeling that involved both Kuroka and Koneko's past to intertwine with each other. Whether their past was good or bad, she didn't know. But she can't rid herself away from the feeling that their past isn't just detailing the life of both of them. She knew that the two of them had been plagued by the past and they still remember it till this day, much to her sympathy. Just as she finishes her thoughts, Izayoi's voice made itself known.

"…The main reason that the master took them in; was because of their species. Both of them were the last of their kind, which makes them a rare species."

"Their species…" Rias mutters as she tried to think of any scenarios involving the rare species of both Kuroka and Koneko under their master in the past and what connected them to cause the event which Kuroka killed their master for. But so far, she can't think of any since she didn't know what the two were subjugated to during their time serving their master. But then, Rias's eyes widen at her statement. "Subjugated?" Rias said in mind as she thought about the involvement of experiments that were subjugated to both nekoshous. At the thought, Rias frowned. "Did they really…?"

"Anyway, that's all I can tell you for now. The rest of it, you'll just have to figure it out yourself or let Kuroka tell you one piece at a time. Nobody says it was easy to tell a past after all." Hearing the blonde words, Rias thought back to her conversation with Kuroka about the blonde's past.

"…What about your past, Izayoi-kun?"

"…My past?"

"What's your past like?"

"It's not normal for normal humans, I can tell you that. Can you imagine a kid got to go to the court just for beating up a few kids at school?" Izayoi answered with an amused tone.

"I can't imagine how awful it must be." Rias replied with a small smile stretching from the corner of her lips.

"Yeah, for the beaten up kids but not me. I had some help." A smile could be seen on the blonde's face as Rias glances at him at the corner of her eyes.

"Do you mean your mother?"

"You're really catching up." At the compliment, Rias smiled down.

"Do you know who you're talking to?"

"My wife." At the answer, Rias's eyes widen. "Who do you think I would answer?" A chuckle escapes his mouth.

"…T-Then, Izayoi-kun, you…"

"Figured you'll know. Don't worry, ever since you went to fight with Kuroka. I know that you two would work it out somehow. I mean, you two have been the best of friends since we arrived here, right?" Izayoi looks forward with a smile while glancing back at his wife.

"What about Serafall? You forgot about her, it seems. How will I tell her?" A giggle could be heard as Rias felt herself getting better and she doesn't mean her diminished energy.

"You can tell her whatever you want. But believe me, she won't believe you as much as she believe me."

"That's not fair. You have your charms to thank for." Rias glanced behind her shoulder at the blonde and saw a sideway smile from the side of his left cheek.

"Isn't that normal?" With that, Rias looks forward as she smile at his statement, feeling once again happy that she can talk to her husband again compare to the times where they avoided each other from talking all day except for a few words from the blonde before he walked pass her, leaving her stranded for words that she wanted to voice out loud. As she turns to stare at the night sky at her right, she heard the blonde behind her speak up. "Anyway, you're not here to only talk about that, right? There some things that are still bothering you." He said which causes the red head to stare at the sky in surprise, wondering how he find out about the particular lingering thought that has been swarming in her head ever since she heard the conversation shared between Shiroyasha and him. "I won't say anything about it if you don't want to." Just as he finishes, Rias contemplated her thoughts about telling the constant thoughts concerning the blonde but as much as she wanted to tell them, she couldn't grasp the feeling that she would do nothing but make everything worse if she did. Twisting the fabric of her kimono in between her right fingers, the red head closed her eyes before she opens her mouth, mustering the courage to let it all out.

"…Izayoi-kun. I-I heard from Shiroyasha that what she had to save you was her last. And also, about the other day, I heard that you…wanted to fight that Three-Headed Dragon if it ever escape. Is that true?" With that, the atmosphere completely changes with the single statement. The silence that had been overwhelming the both of them now compare to earlier, can't be cut by a knife whatsoever. Just as a moment passes by, the red head didn't wait long enough to hear the blonde's reply.

"…Yeah, I admit that's the truth." At his answer, Rias bit her bottom lips.

"…Why? You know the risk if you fight with it again. Are...you really going to throw away your life again, Izayoi-kun?" With her head held down and her back faces the blonde's back, the red head waited for his answer. She knows the blonde would leave just as he is right now but he wasn't. She is yet to hear his footsteps walk away from her, which means that he was here to stay. After a while of non-stop silence, the red head frown deepens of his deathly answer that would not come. She held her hands on her chest to hope that he answered her question that she wanted to know. Needed to know. If they were going to continue to act like this, she figured that was the end of their relationship but she doesn't want it to end it like this. As those thoughts run through her mind, she was unaware of the familiar voice that broke through the silence.

"If I die...What choice do I have if I can't save the only thing that I swore to protect? That'll make me a hypocrite, don't you think?" Rias's eyes widen at his answer. "If there was a choice of saving Canaria, I would take it long ago. But she convinced that there were none. She's already dying anyway. So what choice do I have than to see her in her deathbed?" Izayoi's eyes trailed over upwards as he recalled the talk which he considered to be the last with his mother on her deathbed.

Flashback…

"Are you sure there's nothing?" Canaria smiled through her eyes as her sights fall upon her son sitting in front of her. "Because I refuse to believe that there isn't any antidote or vaccine to save you."

"Hm...Believe it or not, but those are what the doctors said, Izayoi-chan. I didn't know that it was this bad till I got hospitalized."

"Don't you know your body if it's ill or healthy?" Izayoi raises his eyebrow at his mother lying on the hospital bed.

"Yes, I've known about this 'illness' but after the research that I've conducted...There's nothing I discovered that could make this go away or even prolong it longer. But...As I see it now, I don't mind this at all." Canaria let out a smile directed at her son.

"Why is that?"

"Because I gotten to see you grow up into a fine man from when you were a baby. What more could I want than that? The spent time we spend through and through will always be the ones that I cherish the most." Canaria closed her eyes as she hold her breath before exhaling the air out.

"..." Izayoi stayed silence as he watches his mother. "Is this all I can do? Wait until she dies?"

"Izayoi-chan, can you do me a favor?"

"Hm?" Izayoi look at his mother in question.

"Would you place my grave amongst the sakura trees? Because I think it will be kind of stuffy if my grave were amongst dead people I never knew."

"Are you serious?" A hint of smile was visible on the blonde's face as he process her need to not be place amongst the dead. The only reason was that she doesn't know them. At that, the blonde admit that his mother will always will be humorous underneath any situations.

"Why can't I be serious about that? I mean, isn't it a blessing to be surrounded by beautiful trees?"

"I'll think about that." Izayoi smiled playfully.

"No, you have to do it. Because I don't trust you enough to not do as I say." Canaria smiled amusingly.

"What kind of mother doesn't trust their son enough?" The blonde raises his eyebrow while keeping his playful smile.

"I'm one of a kind mother." Canaria shrug her shoulder as she brags. "Oh, and one last thing would you? When I die, would you visit my grave with someone? Someone you care about? Someone you love? Because I want to see it. It's better if you brought more than one." She chuckles under her hand before smiling softly at her son. "If I learned something over the years I've known you, you're always attracting women, Izayoi-chan. You're a magnet for their species." She said playfully.

"I don't consider myself as one. That fact might be true for when I was 10 ten years old." Izayoi shakes his head as Canaria points her finger at him.

"Nonsense! You're already attracting a lot. The first one, Irina. What about her? You two were best friends' way back. I can't believe that she moved out from her place, though. It was unfortunate." She looks down with a small frown of disappointment.

"She's just a friend."

"...Okay, but I hope she doesn't think of you as one, that's for sure. She always stick by you when you were kids. The time that you two spent, I wouldn't doubt that she had already fallen in love when she doesn't even know the word or realized it herself." Canaria smiled as she explained before she thought of another women that his son met and mentioned of her.

"What about, Rossweisse? That's her name, right? You said that you went on a date with her in a single day! And on top of that, she enjoyed it."

"She offered to be my tour guide for that day. I thought it wasn't bad to call it a date." Izayoi reasoned.

"Hm...How about the time where you met Irina again with the company of her friend? I thought her friend was really interested in you, including Irina. She was a girl in Christmas when she saw you. Anyway, her friend...What's her name? It's at the tip of my tongue...Aha! Xenovia. What about her?

"A friend that I met with my childhood friend over lunch."

"Alright, what about Kuroka?"

"Somehow, I found these questions to be unrelated."

"Nonsense, Izayoi-chan. We're just talking about the women that you've met and already attracted their attention to you. So, next one! Gabriel. What do you think about her?"

"Clumsy."

"Other than that?"

"Has a fetish for throwing water at me."

"You know she didn't mean it."

"Yeah but somehow I can count the times when she did. Weird right?"

"Well, she's clumsy. But do you not find her cute in that way?"

"Yeah, but after the fifth time of getting myself drenched in water...Should I reconsider?" Izayoi asked with a raised eyebrow as Canaria laughed, enlightening a smile to play on Izayoi's face.

"You can't blame a girl for being clumsy. That's part of her charm. Another part of it is she is nice to help you clean your clothes every time, right?"

"When you say it like that..." Izayoi look down thoughtfully.

"If anything, she's a fine candidate just like the rest of the others. It's only a matter of time before you're bringing out a ring to each and every single one of them. But it all depends on who will get to be your first, right? There a few guesses that I would like to point out; one being a red head as such." As she finishes, Izayoi looks at her mother in confusion.

"Rias?" He thought at the word his mother had pointed out suddenly, to which causes him to question about Rias Gremory who he met and evidently stole his first kiss about a year ago. "…Really, how do you know things when they never happen? I can't figure out by now, you know?" At this, Canaria laughs heartedly.

"Well, I'm your mother and mothers always have the best intuition on their son's future."

"Somehow I can't believe it. I can't be the only one who's abnormal here." Izayoi crossed his arms as Canaria tilted her head to the right and smiles.

"Somehow I can't believe that I took care of my son since birth. Sorry if I had been worse to you over the years, Izayoi-chan." A few small tears escapes her eyes as Izayoi stares at her mother shedding tears. "Sorry…ne?"

Present…

"How could I forgive you that easily, huh?" Izayoi asked in thought staring up at the ceiling at the past. Suddenly, a pair of hands grasp his face and he looks down at Rias who smiles at him softly. "And how can you blame yourself after all those years?" Lifting his right hand, he'd grasp Rias's right hand on his left cheek and brushes the item that is glinting around her index finger; her engagement ring.

"I…I know that I don't understand everything, but I'm trying to." Rias smiles ever so softly as she gently brushes against the blonde cheeks. "So I hope you won't find me as a burden because I know I deserve to be one, I mean it." She lifted the balls of her feet and leans up to brush her lips against him before finally succumbing in her want to capture his lips in a kiss. After a moment, she pulls back as she stares at the blonde. "I understand that you want to protect me along with the others but it is not worth it if you throw away your life carelessly like that. It is not worth it, do you understand? There are others that we could ask for help and they are willing to help. So, don't depend on yourself so much. We are here for you, I'm here…for you." She whispers the last part as she pecks his forehead with a smile.

Looking down at the woman staring back at him with love in her eyes, the blonde let out a smile amusingly before he leans down his head and plants a kiss on the left side of Rias's neck, causing her to gasp in surprise and tightens her grip on his shoulder. Pulling back, the blonde breathe onto the side of her neck. "What do you want to do, Rias?"

"…I want you…Izayoi-kun." At the clear answer, the blonde merely smile before he lightly bit into her neck, hitching her breath as she fight back a moan from escaping her mouth. "…Izayoi-kun…I want you now."

"I can't hear. Tell me one more time; what do you want exactly…Rias?" The red head responded by latching her arms onto his shoulder before they disappears via a teleportation circle.

~Guest Room~

A red teleportation circle appears at the center of the room as both Izayoi and Rias reappears under the circle.

Leaning up at the blonde's right ear, Rias whispers ever so huskily. "I want you, Izayoi-kun. I want all of you now." Just as she finishes, a couple of red magic circle appears on each doors in the room before it disappear. A seductive smile crosses her face as she pulls back to look up at the blonde. "Tonight, I don't want anyone to ruin this for me. For us."

~Kuroka's Room~

A smile graces Kuroka's lips as she looks up as she lies halfway on her bed with her back facing the opposite of her room while her head lies against her pillow. Smelling the dripping and arousing scent nearby, Kuroka let out a small smirk. "…Boo…I thought I was going to get Izayoi-kun but it looks like you have him for tonight, Rias-chan nya. I want to be his first, though...Oh well, I let this one slide, Rias-chan but I'm not going to when it's my turn~" Kuroka whispers as she peeks from above her pillow. "Because I'm not going to lose to Serafall in that matter…" A small smile replaces her smirk before she closes her eyes.

To Be Continued…

That is the end of chapter 44 of A Problem Devil, Born~

I sincerely hope that what I worked hard over three weeks were not wasted and all of you had enjoyed the chapter as it is because it literally caused trouble for me. Just when I thought that I wanted to update the chapter, I got another thought to perfect the chapter and then I did it. The same situation happened a few hours ago, so I hope that you will not be disappointed. And for the spelling and grammar errors that might be in the chapter, I apologise and hope that you will PM for the matter. I can't be better if I don't fix my mistakes even if its small and simple mistakes.

Anyway, what do you think about the chapter? The drama, fighting, the friendship bond, family bond and also the romance? I hope I didn't make such a horrible mess of the chapter by writing about 18,000 words more. I'm sorry that you have to put up with my long writing. But I hope that you find this chapter worthwhile as the atonement of my absent for these past weeks. I do not realise that I wasted a lot of time to complete this. But it did. And it cannot be change. So, thank you for reading my chapter.

Please leave a review on your way out after reading the chapter. Also, please favourite and follow my story. And if you want to follow and favourite me, you can do so. I don't mind, but I greatly appreciate the gesture.

Until the next chapter, Ja'ne! ArtLotus out!