The last bride finally came! Buuut that's not the end of the story! There's still the epilogue, where the bride's plan will finally be put in motion. Also, sorry for the delay. It's not like I gave a release date but it is a fact that I wanted to have released this chapter two days ago. As for the reason, I...was too distracted. I wanted to write, but then I started watching anime or reading manga and by the time I noticed, it was already late.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter 12 - Sasala

"Hey! It's been so long Diablo! I didn't thought you would visit me so soon!"

"...Your sentences are contradicting each other, you know."

After a long walk, Diablo finally reached Sasala's house/restaurant. She greeted him with a smile as soon as he entered her view. They were now sitting on a table face to face.

"I know. I was just a little too excited, seeing my friend and disciple."

"Come on, it hasn't been that long yet."

"It was still sooner than I thought. Come to think of it, why did you come here? Was it to eat some soba? Rem and Shera didn't come with you?"

"Calm down a little. Don't hit me with that barrage of questions."

"Uhh… Sorry."

Sasala's ears dropped, making her seem even smaller than she already is. Her petite figure almost overlapped with Rem's figure inside Diablo's mind, except that unlike Rem, Sasala had some good 'assets'.

"I came alone because I have something important to discuss with you."

"Is it the Fallen again? Or maybe there's another Great Demon King resurrecting somewhere?"

"No, it's not really about the Fallen or the Demon Kings. Actually, it doesn't involve fighting at all. It's still important though."

"Something important that doesn't involve fighting… Could it be, you found a new type of soba?"

"...No, not really. It would be great if I did though."

"That's a shame."

"Indeed, but that's not what I came here for! We are getting sidetracked."

"Uh...I'm sorry."

"Hah…..Listen, I will be quick about this."

Explaining is good, explaining everything is better

"S-Something like this happened after I left..."

"Yeah..."

"A-And in just a few days too..."

"...Umu"

"B-but why are you telling this to me, Diablo?"

"Because I want you to take part as well."

"...Eh?"

"..."

"Eeeeeh?!"

"C-Calm down."

"Bu-But that is…!"

Diablo knew very well that asking someone to calm down on this situation, even more considering he was the one who started it, was really unreasonable. But he had no idea what else to say to the flustered Sasala. Her cheeks were as red as tomato and her eyes were spinning around.

"M-Me an-and Diablo?! But he is m-my friend and my dis-disciple! Now, my husband?! And with other girls as well!?"

"W-Wait, Sasala! I'm not forcing you or anything! I'm only asking you! Accepting it or not is on you!"

"O-Oh, that's right, isn't it? Ahaha…..."

"...Look, for now, just take deep breaths."

Sasala was thinking as if it was already decided that she was engaged to Diablo which caused her to become more and more flustered. Noticing that, Diablo cut her line of thought to calm her down. Thankfully for him, it worked.

"So, have you cooled down a little?"

"Huff...Yes, I'm sorry Diablo. I was a little too excited."

"Don't mind the small stuff. Just take your time."

(You are the last bride after all. I finally feel that I can take it a little easier... Wait, was I just thinking as if I knew she was going to accept? Am I really getting this overconfident? Maybe I'm letting the fact that I haven't been refused yet get to my head.)

Unaware of Diablo's inner conflict, Sasala was lost in her own little world as well. She got proposed to for the first time in her life. Before that, she barely had any contact with anyone that wasn't a challenger looking for the Sword Saint. Diablo was technically her first friend and her number one disciple as well. One could say he was the closest male to her, but there was one doubt inside of her, one that she had to erase…

"Diablo, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"You said you needed this ritual to control your magic power, right?"

"Precisely."

"And you choose only people who had a favorable relationship or were closer to you than other people, right?"

"Yeah."

"But, did you make that choice based only on that?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's Diablo we are talking about. If your magic got even stronger than before and it's running wild, it's certainly nothing to joke around. I also don't think you thought about this half-heartedly. But did you chose the brides with only that basis?"

"Are you talking about the matter of how close our relationship is?"

"Yes. I'm a little bothered by that."

"Diablo said that the ritual would only work with people that are close to a certain extent, but I still feel a little….uneasy."

"About what?"

"Your feelings."

"...What?"

"I never had a lover before, so I can't say for sure. But I think that if I had to ever choose a husband, I would choose Diablo."

"!"

"I mean, my life was so dull and frustrating before meeting Diablo. Training, defeating challengers and hoping to end my Master's struggles. But after Diablo appeared, I finally met someone who was able to become my disciple, made my first friends, finally put my Master at peace, discovered how to make soba properly."

"..."

Though it was only a little while ago, not even a month, these memories also felt nostalgic to Diablo.

"My life has been so full of surprises after meeting Diablo. I got so happy when Diablo thanked me and called me 'Shishou'(Master). Diablo was also the only one that could understand my Master's thoughts(about fighting strategies). I really believe I could be happy marrying Diablo."

"!"

Sasala smiled so cheerfully. It was just like when Diablo called her Shishou, except the air around her seemed different. Now, she almost seemed like a maiden in love.

"But like I said before, there's one thing that holds me back."

"Just say it. I will do something about it."

"It's reassuring coming from you, but… I think it's a little different in this case."

"What?"

"I said I'm fine with Diablo but what Diablo himself? Did Diablo...choose me just because I was a little closer than someone else? I can't get that worry out of my head. That maybe, I was included just by a small margin. Was I chosen just because I was 'lucky'?"

"...I knew you were an insecure and somewhat submissive person but this surpasses my expectations. Listen, don't say I chose you because 'you were a little closer' or 'you were lucky'. I choose you because I trust you, because you are my Shishou in swordsmanship that I respect and that helped me in my life's most important battle. You should not look down on yourself so much, you are not someone 'less than a lover, more than an acquaintance', you are someone I believe I could love as a wife."

"!"

"..."

Diablo tried to express everything he felt, he did yet another thing he couldn't do as a NEET. Right after saying it and seeing Sasala's blushing shocked face, he realised he just said something really embarrassing. It's not like his other proposals were okay, but this time he was more conscious of it. As Diablo matured, he started to care for 'this kind of stuff'. He started to understand how riajuu felt.

"...*sniff*..."

"...!"

While Diablo was wondering if being a riajuu was not that bad or if he should just explode, tears were forming in Sasala's eyes. For a second, Diablo thought maybe he said something wrong but realised that she didn't seem sad or upset. Instead, she was smiling, she was crying from happiness.

"...I'm so glad. Really so glad. I was really nervous for a moment."

"It's okay."

"Umu."

Sasala used her finger and wiped her tears away. Now, there was nothing to ruin her pure smile anymore. Diablo too, smiled seeing how everything seemed to have gone well.

"Oh, yeah. We still have to do 'it', right? The ritual I mean."

"Yeah, that's all that's left."

"Yes… I've never done this kind of thing before so I will be counting on Diablo to guide me. Please be gentle."

"Don't worry…."

Diablo had already stood and approached Sasala's seat with steady steps. Sasala was afraid Diablo might hear her heartbeats as he approached. Even if he couldn't hear it, Diablo could see Sasala was anxious. That was what set her apart from the other brides, Rem and Shera already had daily contact with him, Krem and Eldegard had different cultures, Sylvie and Mei were already 'adults', Lamnites and Rafleisha had plenty of experience, Alicia and Lumachina had at least the knowledge about this. On the other hand, Sasala was raised in the mountains, she barely interacted with others, let alone from the opposite gender, meaning she was by far the less experienced among the brides.

With that in mind, Diablo decided to take it slow so she could get used to it. Right after his lips made contact with hers…

"Hm..."

Diablo didn't push it further, nor did he back away from her. He just kept it like that, he maintained the kiss without making it more intense and without breaking it. Sasala had to get used to this if she was to join the brides, though it didn't seem to be an issue. Sasala looked clumsy in kissing but she was seemingly enjoying it. Though she wasn't a dog, her ears and tail were moving around non-stop, they really gave away her excitement. After a few seconds, Diablo thought it was enough and took some distance, slowly so she wouldn't get startled.

"Phew… are you okay?"

"...Eh? Ah! I'm f-fine! Completely fine! Diablo went easy on me after all!"

"I see. That's good then."

"Yes...so this is a kiss….so good..."

"What's wrong?"

"N-No, nothing!"

"Don't overdo it. It's fine to say it if something feels strange."

"I-It wasn't strange! It's just that, it felt so good….Ah, that's right! Since you came here, will Diablo stay for the night?"

(So she was only dazed from the after bliss, huh? It's good then, but what was that change of subject? She doesn't have to get so embarrassed, all the other wives said it felt good too. I don't think there's anything strange about it.)

"...I guess. I was in a hurry before, but maybe I should chill out for a bit now that it's over. I have been traveling without pause for a while after all."

"Good! Then, I will start preparing soba for both of us!"

"Oh, before that, take this."

"Hm? A letter?"

"It's from Lamnites, she was the feudal lord responsible for the city, when the Fallen invaded. She said she had to convey some things to you, but you left before she could."

"Oh! Then I caused some trouble for her...by the way, is she one of the brides?"

"Indeed she is."

"I see… then I have to properly apologise when we meet."

"So you are coming back to the city with me?"

"Umu. Since I'm your wife, I thought maybe I should live with you. I mean, Diablo is an adventurer, right? That means you travel to lots of different places with Rem and Shera, right? If I go with you, I will get close to my husband and accomplish my goal of learning more about the world, two birds with a single stone, right?"

"I'm relieved then, if Sasala decided to travel alone, we(Diablo+other brides) would get worried. Sasala is a heavy sleeper after all. You could get ambushed during the night if you went alone."

"...I wouldn't be so careless...probably. Well then, I will start making dinner, Please wait a little."

"Right. Take your time."

Diablo thought about offering to help, but he knew very well that he was no cook. If he tried to help, there was a chance he would ruin it instead. Diablo wanted to avoid that at all costs, soba was one of the few dishes from his world after all.

Before starting, Sasala opened the letter and read it thoroughly. Her face distorted into shock, before hugging the letter to her chest and looking around to see if anyone saw it. The only ones in the house were Sasala and Diablo, not only that, but Diablo was waiting in another room, Sasala still looked around regardless.

"But something like this….Wait...Doesn't this mean I have to hurry?!"

Sasala started to speak and panic by herself. The contents of letter were completely different from what Diablo told her, which means that Lamnites tricked Diablo. Sasala was happy at first, the little plan written in the letter was something Sasala would never imagine by herself, but she also understood that since she was the last bride, there was no one as late as she was. By now, all the other brides already read their letters and prepared for the plan. Sasala had to create an excuse to head back to Faltra City before, but what could she say in the first place? Fortunately, she didn't to think of an excuse.

"Sasala? Got a minute?"

"Y-Yesh?!"

"...Why are you stuttering?"

"N-No, it's nothing. I was just a little startled. Ahaha…."

"...If you say so. I actually wanted to ask, do you know of any places where I could get a souvenir in the nearby city?"

"Souvenirs?"

"Since I spent some time away, I thought I should get something for the others back at Faltra City."

"...I know of some places. But, you see, I was thinking of going back to Faltra City first to speak with my fellow brides..."

"It's no problem. With my magic, I can go back pretty fast so if you want to go back first, I don't mind. Actually, I think it would easier for both of us this way. It would be difficult to carry all of your stuff while flying."

"I guess so."

Sasala seemed pretty calm on outside, but on the inside she was jumping from happiness. Since Diablo was going to visit some stores before heading back, Sasala could return to the city before him and prepare for the plan. The letter already said that the other brides would have almost everything prepared so the most important part was that Sasala had to return before Diablo did.

Humming happily from her good fortune, Sasala resumed making their dinner. Today she was going to put even more effort in the soba!