[MORGAN VENATORES]
The sound of my foot slowly tapping against the floor echoed through the Occult research club. Sitting in front of me was no other than Rias Gremory, Heiress to the Gremory clan; A long silence stretched between the two of us, nobody saying a word. After having dealt with the fallen angels she asked me to accompany her to the academy, I complied. Eventually, I broke the silence.
"Where is Hyodo?" I asked bluntly.
"You don't have to worry about him. Currently, he's resting in his home and recovering from the wounds inflicted upon him."
That 's good. I don't want to easily admit it, but without help from the heiress, the boy would most likely be dead. That was a close one. Fighting the urge to sigh, I addressed the situation in front of me.
"So… You want to ask me somethin' Lady Gremory?" I started, her eyes drilling into mine.
"Please, just Rias is fine," she said. Even though the mood in the room was what you could call calm, she was still eyeing me warily, trying to figure me out. Akeno, her queen, stepped out from a room with a little cart filled with various teacups and a teapot, accompanied with an assortment of various sweets and pastries.
She placed a cup of tea in front of Rias, its contents still steaming from the cup, she nodded gratefully at her queen. She then walked towards me and placed another steaming cup of tea. Even if she had a pleasant smile on her face, I could tell she was cautious of me. Her body was tense and she was watching my every move with great attention.
Saying my thanks, I grabbed the cup of tea without thinking too much about it. The aroma of the tea reached my nose. Green tea, hmm, very eastern-like. It had a nice smell to it, a very light smell. I grabbed the cup and bright it to my lips, taking a sip.'Hmmm, this is a nice tea. A very nice tea indeed'
A small smile formed in my face as I tasted the tea. A subtle and soothing blend that hit my tongue. It was a simple pleasure, one that I enjoyed. Placing the cup down, a soft clink echoes through the mostly silent room.
Suddenly a knock came from the door. Without wasting time, the doors opened and the rest of Rias's peerage entered the room. Kiba Yuuto and Koneko Toujo.
"Evening president," Kiba started, a soft smile on his face. "What's the situation?" As he finished asking his question, we locked eyes alongside Koneko who continued to stare with slightly wide eyes in surprise or recognition. Trying to keep the mood of the room calm, I raised my hand in a 'V' sign.
"Yo." I said with a wry smile. I don't think it worked as I expected. Sum up that my clothes were dirty and somewhat bloody. I think I don't present a calm, peaceful person. Without saying too much, Akeno guides them towards the space behind their king.
And now I found myself all alone against the entirety of the Gremory peerage. If this was her plan for her to have the backup of her entire peerage in case things went south, I couldn't do nothing about it really. Well, a part of fighting my way out of here.
"So, how come your clan is still alive?" Rias suddenly asked with a serious expression on her face. "I thought that after the Venatores purge, your kind was wiped out."
"I don't know the details very well myself, but from what they told me after the purge very few members of the clan remained alive. Some decided to leave the moonlit world, some were killed off later. The heir at the time decided to continue the clan's work, armed with the same whip you see now."
I said as I tapped the Morning Star tied to my hip, its chains jingling softly. Her eyes locked with the chain-whip.
"At some point, I guess that the heirs for the clan started to have children, continuing the bloodline. But even after that, what remained of the clan couldn't regain their previous strength. Or so I'm told…"
"Who…Who are you descended from?" She asked. At that, I looked away.
"With all due respect, Lady Gremory. That's for me to know." After all, I wasn't a true descendant of the Venatortes. Simply taken in by Victor when he came to my aid.
A brief hush settled between us, and tension in the room rose. Glancing over, I noticed Koneko, her eyes narrowing at me with an unknowing look. Eventually the Gremory heiress continued.
"Why were you operating in devil territory? Without asking for permission I might add."
Thankfully, I was prepared for this question, since Sona asked me the same thing a few days ago.
"I wasn't aware that this was devil territory until later. Honest." She narrowed her eyes at me, trying to figure out if I was lying or not.
"Fine, I'll believe you." Situation resolved. She made a pause, with her brows slightly furrowed, pondering about something.
"...Did you kill three of the fallen angels?" She asked, her eyes roaming me. Akeno's eyes slowly locked to me, a stoic expression on her face, accompanied with a small smile.
"...Yeah, I did." She still had that weird expression. Even though she still remained stoic, her eyes betrayed the mask she was wearing. It was hard to understand what that meant.
"Are you part of any of the factions, or some other pantheon? The Venatores were a part of the Church before the purge, after all."
"No, I act independently," Most of the time. "As far as I'm aware, apart from you and Sona, nobody is aware of my presence nor existence." That wasn't completely true, Azazel knew about me, and if his theory turns out to be correct, the leader of the Yokai Faction also knows about me. And tomorrow the devil faction. Isn't this great?
"One last thing. As you may or may not know, for a human magician to act in devil territory, a contract must be made between the parties. A magician contract. You have our resources at your disposal, and we have the abilities of someone of your caliber. In my opinion, it's a win-win scenario."
I'm not so sure about that one chief. First of all, I'm not a magician, at least not in the conventional standards, so resources for research are mostly useless to me.
"Or… You could join me peerage."
I narrowed my eyes at her, there wasn't any real heat in my glare, but I needed to make a point. "I won't join your peerage nor Sona's let me make that clear from the start." I rubbed my templates and sighed. "About the Magician contract, can I have some time to think about it?"
"Of course". Since this territory is property from the Gremory and Sitri clans, both parties must be present for the contract." Alright fine, it's not like I have another option apart from leaving the territory.
"Now, if you allow me, I have some questions of my own I would like you to answer." I asked her, with that same professionalism she nodded at me to continue.
"Why are two devil heiresses attending a human school? In Japan of all places."
Rias abruptly started to grow nervous. Her body fidgeting, while she started to play with the locks of her hair. Her queen looked amused for whatever reason.
"I-I wanted to attend a Human school to have a better understanding of social norms, human traditions and overall to become a more capable leader and king!" She proclaimed proudly, even if her voice wavered slightly. I only continued to stare at her, without changing my expression. That was surprisingly shallow.
"Is… that all to it?" I raised my brow at her.
"W-Well, there are a few more things… I really like the culture, its history… entertainment…" For each thing she listed, her voice started to grow quieter and quieter.
I continued to observe her, and suddenly the pieces in my mind started to fall in place. Her genuine fascination with certain aspects of Japanese,—a love for something beyond the conventional reasons she stated. A eat-shitting smirk fell on my face. I get it, this girl is a huge nerd for Japanese things!
Her queen clearly shared my amusement, seeing how her amused smile grew slightly larger.
Poor Rias on the other hand, started to look a little bit pale. She knew that I knew. Ah, dont worry about it, I'm also a bit of a nerd to be honest, but that's a secret for me to keep for the time being.
Regaining my composure, I cleared my throat. "I see," I said with a glint of amusement dancing in my eyes. "That's a perfectly valid reason in my eyes." A teasing tone mixed in my voice.
"Do you have any other questions? The heiress asked, with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"No, that's all of it for now."
I grabbed my cup of tea once more and took a sip of it. The tea was still warm. I finished my tea, enjoying the last of my cup. When I finished, I stood up. "Thank you for the tea, Ms Himejima, it was very good."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it sensei." She smiled politely at me, her posture less tense than before.
"Well Rias, if that's all I'm gonna take my leave. I think I deserve a well earned reward. And by reward I mean a damn drink." I sighed and turned towards the door. I turned again to her, a smirk in place.
"Also, before I forget, this isn't an excuse to not do your homework." She looked surprised, and then chuckled, a soft hand covering her giggles.
"Wait." A voice sliced through the air, drawing my attention to their petite rook. Her expression bore a sternness that contradicted her usual demeanor. With deliberate steps, she approached, her gaze fixed on me, a soft glower etched on her features.
"Were you trying to deceive me?" Her question landed with an unexpected weight. Despite her composed exterior, a glint of hurt flickered in her eyes.
"I respect your caution regarding our world, sensei," she continued, her voice taking on an icy edge. "But was it all a lie? Is Morgan-sensei authentic, or just a facade you've created?"
Her directness struck me, her inquiry pushing past my defenses. I hesitated, sensing the weight of her words. "Koneko, I..." My words stumbled, caught between the urge to be honest and the fear of confirming her suspicions.
"...You showed me kindness," she pressed on, her tone unwavering, "but was it a ploy to understand us better? To trick me?" Her words lingered, heavy with an unspoken plea for sincerity.
Feeling the weight of Koneko's stare, I took a deep breath, collecting my thoughts before speaking. "Koneko, I understand why you might think that. My actions... They were genuine. I never intended to deceive you. You're fun to be around"
Her expression remained stoic, but I could see something in her eyes. "I don't expect you to trust me blindly, far from it actually, it would be kind of dumb." I admitted, meeting her gaze. "And to be honest, I can only offer you my word for it. I can at least promise you that I meant no harm for you and your group."
As I finished speaking, a tense silence hung between us, the weight of her skepticism palpable in the air. Koneko regarded me with an intensity that bordered on scrutiny, her guarded stance revealing little of her thoughts.
"I believe you," she finally said, her voice neutral but hinting at a subtle softening. "Actions speak louder than words."
A soft smile graced my lips. "That's enough for me."
"I also had the suspicion that you weren't an ordinary English teacher." I… wasn't expecting that. She said with a small teasing smile. Seriously, this girl. "You reek of Holy energy."
Sighing, I turned back and walked out of the room, with nothing to worry about health-wise at least, I left the occult research club with my room as destination, after a quick shower a beer with my name in it would be nice.
That went better than expected. Both of the heiresses of Kuoh were more understandable of everything happening, I thought they were going to be more confrontational of me operating under their noses. Well, I still needed to sign said contract, and with whom of both peerages. By now, I had a grasp of Sona's personality. Serious, Incredibly smart and cunning. Rias on the other hand seemed a very passionate person, and by the feeling I had, she was stronger than Sona.
I also had to talk with Hyodo tomorrow, explaining to him the whole fallen angel situation. For better or worse, the moonlit world has taken notice of him, and depending on who his allies and friends are, it could change his life forever.
But right now, I have other things to worry about. Like the very good-looking mug of beer in front of me; with its foamy top and amber color. I took a sip out of it, and as expected, it was very good.
'God, a very handsome reward indeed'
Lost in my thoughts and savoring my drink, I noticed a group of women, stealing glances at me. I looked over in their direction, and saw a group of girls giggling and talking with themselves, occasionally looking at me with coquettish eyes. Hmmm. They seemed way too young to be at a place like this, but what do I know? Both the Gremory heiress and her queen looked straight out of a fashion magazine and certainly didn't fit the bill of a 'Highschool student'.
I ignored them for the moment, still engrossed with the Mug sitting in front of me. Grabbing the handle I lifted it to my lips. I took a small sip out of it, when my phone rang in my pocket.
SIghing, I placed the mug on the table while grabbing my phone. I looked to see who the dialer was, and surprise, surprise, it was no other than azazel. Well, if this isn't convinient?
"Hello?"
"Yo, Morgan! I just noticed your missed calls. Sorry about that, I've been busy with some grigori stuff, you know how it goes. Anyway, what 's up?"
"There have been rouge fallens acting in devil territory."
There was a brief silence between the two of us, it was clear that he was surprised.
'Shit, where are you right now?" I blinked at that.
"Well, I'm in a bar near the commercial disrict. Nearby the Kuoh shopping mall."
"Got it." And he hung up the phone. It was almost weird. I thought he would have sounded more concerned about it, or something but all I could get… he sounded almost defeated.
The door chime jingled, drawing my attention toward the entrance. Azazel sauntered in, sporting a marine blue coat paired with magenta dressing pants, a vest peeking from under his coat, and a red tie to cap off the ensemble. It was an odd combination, but somehow, he managed to pull it off. If I had to describe it, he looked like a school principal—albeit a terribly unconventional one.
"Hey," I greeted him as he approached, his characteristic grin slightly more subdued than usual.
"Yo," he replied, his gaze flickering toward the mug in front of me. "Hmm. I think I'll join you for a drink."
I gestured to an empty seat across from me. He took a seat and ordered a mug from the bartender.
"So, what happened while I was gone?" He started, with a slightly subdued tone present on his voice.
I took another sip from my mug and swallowed, the flavor dancing in my tongue. "A group of fallen angels were hunting down a human kid; In devil territory, no less. They almost killed him, so I killed them first."
A sigh left Azazel's body. The bartender came soon enough with a mug of beer and placed it in front of Azazel. Grabbing it from the handle, he took a large drink of it. Without even making a sound, she placed it in front of him again.
"...For what is worth, I´m sorry it had to be this way." He took a glance my way, his thoughts swimming in his eyes.
"It's ok, Morgan. I know what your role is as a member of the Venatores, and what such a job conveys."
Even if he didnt say so, the meaning behind his words was clear. At the end of the day, the core of the clan had always been the protection from the supernatural; Monster Hunters, and whatever falls in between. It was our job to kill whatever humanity perceived as evil or dangerous, and the human being is afraid of the unknown. Glorified killers.
I grabbed my mug once more and took a drink, this time larger than the previous one. By now the mood between us has soured by our talks.
"So, in which cave were you hiding all these days?"
He looked my way, and a small grin made its way into his features.
"Believe or not, I had some important talks with the catholic church."
Slowly I looked over to Azazel, and to the surprise of anyone now had a smug grin on his face.
"Seriously?" My tone was filled with incredulity.
"Serious;" He took a sip of his mug. "I keep some contact with the church."
"But… why? and how?" I asked with a confused tone. "I thought that with the fragile peace between the factions, contact with another faction could be a very bold move."
"Well… I guess that's true. This cold war has lasted far too long, and I think it's time for it to end. I want peace all the way."
That was surprising insightful of him. Sometimes I Keep forgetting that he is a leader of the main factions in the moonlit world.
"...And I can't focus on my research if there is no peace, can't I?"
"You do that regardless of the political state between the factions."
We both chuckled between ourselves. Hm. It was nice that the older man was back in town. To talk with a friendly face with some drinks, I guess I missed that a bit.
"Going back to the main topic;" Azazael began again, "Some higher ups in the church called in a favor that they owed me. Apparently, a nun has been excommunicated for healing a devil. Obviously the church considered this as heresy and was kicked out, and left to fend for herself. The thing here is that the nun healed said devil in holy grounds and in a very protected location nonetheless. Some important people believe that this whole thing has been plotted, but it's still being investigated."
The way Azazel painted the whole situation definitely sounded suspicious. For a devil to be in holy grounds in the first place seemed highly unlikely, and none of the exorcists could detect the presence of a devil? Definitely suspicious. Taking a sip from my mug, I let the man continue.
"Well, long story short, they asked me to take care of the girl. Right now she is being taken care of by a high ranking exorcist, and in a few days the girl will be in my care. Some people really care for this girl."
Azazel took a pause. "Well but that's business for another day. Let's drink to our hearts content today. Hell, the drinks are on me." He said with a smug smile.
"Don't keep digging, you already struck gold!" I raised my mug and azazel did the same. "Cheers!" The clinking sound rang through the somewhat empty bar, and we took a drink out of it. This was a good way to end this dilemma, hopefully things in the future will be more calm, though I really doubt it.
The mundane teacher routine that I am used to, was welcomed. It really helped me to disconnect from the moonlit world for a brief time, it was nice, I guess. The bustle of the students roaming around the campus reached my ears as I was drinking a cup of coffee while grading some papers. A part of my job that I didn't particularly enjoy, but a part that had to be done nonetheless.
It was a calm and serene atmosphere in the classroom, unfortunately my peaceful classroom was about to be disrupted. A series of fast paced footsteps echoed down the hall, the sound becoming clearer and louder with each step. I released a small sigh, I already had a guess of who this might be, well at least he saves me the time of looking for him.
"Morgan-sensei!" My classroom door violently slid open, Hyodo looking a bit pale for my liking.
"Hyodo, don't you know how to knock?" I chastised lightly, but the boy looked really out of it, borderline panicked.
"You were there, weren't you!" He asked, pointing his finger at me. I remained silent, letting the boy continue. "Do you remember a girl that asked me out a few days ago? I've been asking around for the Yuuma-chan, but nobody seems to remember, not even my friends!"
By this point, he really looked really confused and agitated, his frustration evident in his voice. "Was she real? Please tell me you remember her!" A brief silence fell between us, his eyes were looking for something in my eyes, anything, but he couldn't find anything.
I suppressed a sigh, and looked the boy in the eyes. "I do remember her Hyodo." He looked relieved by that information, and it seems he can't remember all that well about yesterday. Perhaps he passed out too early from the pain, or his mind refuses to remember.
Before he could say anything, I interrupted him by raising a hand. "Hyodo, listen carefully; I'm about to tell you something very important about yesterday, but I need you to stay calm and trust me for a bit. Can you do that?
A flicker of worry danced in his eyes, and suddenly he looked really nervous, even then he still nodded his head. Good. I stood up from my chair and made my way towards the center of the room. Hyodo's gaze followed my movements with curious eyes. Making sure he was watching me I raised my hand and closed my eyes and began to focus. A blue magic circle appeared on the floor. I heard a gasp and the screeching of the chair falling, but I kept focusing.
There it is, a bounded field in the room. God I hate making bounded fields, so goddamn complicated. I turned around and saw Hyodo with wide eyes, looking at the floor and then to me.
"Wha– Are you a magician!?"
"Not really, I just know to cast some spells, but not really a magician." I respond without missing a beat. I walked back to my desk before grabbing another chair and placing it in front of my desk. "Take a seat." He took a seat. We remain in silence, pondering how I was supposed to break down this situation for him.
"Do you believe in the supernatural Hyodo? Of course you do, you just saw a spell being cast in front of you."
He looked at me with an odd look, not too sure what that was supposed to mean.
"Ok, let me rephrase that. Are you a religious person, Hyodo?"
"Ummm; Not really, neither me nor my family have ever been people of faith."
I nodded at him. "Ok. Long story short, the myth, religions and legends are real. And last night you almost died at the hands of a fallen angel."
A heavy silence fell between us and suddenly the room's atmosphere felt heavy on our shoulders.
"...What…?" He asked in a low voice, with his eyes starting to feel with understanding and panic. "...Oh god…! It wasn't a dream, right!?" Maybe I should have been that direct. Not a good move on my part, at all. Even then, I needed to make this as clear as possible.
"Hyodo, listen carefully." He looked up and met my eyes, this time hardened to make clear that this wasn't some sort of bad joke.
"You stumbled into a world far beyond your wildest dreams." I began cutting down to the point. "An accident, or maybe fate has shoved you into the supernatural, and for better or worse, the moonlit world now has its eye on you."
The boy paid attention, making sure my words were hot ironed into his mind.
"Why…?," The boy began. "Why were they after me…? Did I do something wrong…?"
"By their words, they were after you because you 'presented a threat to them' or something like that." At that, Hyodo looked flabbergasted.
"What! How could I present any sort of threat to anyone!?"
"Well, other than the dignity of all the female students, I agree with you." He shot me a mean glare. "Hey, don't get mad with the messenger…!" I said with a teasing smug smile. He just huffed to the side.
"But to answer your question Hyodo, the most likely answer it's because you are a wielder of a dormant power within your soul. Or you could come from a secret magic family, which I highly doubt."
"A dormant power?"
"Yes, they are known as Sacred Gears. These Gears are powerful items bestowed upon humans by the god of the bible. The story goes that God created these Sacred gears as part of his system to enact miracles on our realm. That's the most likely reason that the fallen angels were chasing you."
Hyodo absorbed the information up to the last detail.
My tone shifted as I delved deeper into the explanation. "These Sacred Gears aren't your everyday trinkets. They're vessels of immense power, each unique in its abilities. Some can summon flames hotter than the sun, while others can rewrite reality itself."
Hyodo's eyes widened, a mix of fascination and apprehension flickering in them. "So... why me? How did I end up with something like this?"
I leaned forward, my voice gaining a hint of urgency. "It's a mystery, Hyodo. Sometimes these things choose their wielders for reasons beyond our understanding. Though I heard that it's supposedly random."
He nodded slowly, trying to process the weight of the revelation. "What do I do now?"
"Two roads lie ahead of you, Hyodo," I explained, my tone serious and unwavering. "The first path means training on your own, honing your skills alongside me, and fending off the threats that'll come knocking. It's a rough road, full of dangers, and honestly I don't recommend it, but in time will forge you into a competent warrior."
I paused, letting the weight of that sink in before continuing. "The other path, well, that's joining a Devil peerage. It's like signing up for a team—an alliance with fellow beings navigating the same moonlit world. They'll offer you protection, resources, and guidance, but make no mistake, it comes with a very high price, your humanity. You'll have responsibilities and loyalties to uphold, and not everyone out there plays fair."
Hyodo's fixated eyes were locked into mine. He remained silent, now knowing what was happening through his head.
"Who are you sensei? You seem highly knowledgeable about all this stuff."
Before I could answer, the knocking door resounded through the room. I sighed, and looked at Hyodo before silently telling him that we'll continue later. I walk to the door while dispelling the bounded field around us. I slid the door open and met the silver eyes of Kuoh's charming prince.
"Mr Kiba. What can I do for you?"
"Evening sensei. I brought a message from Rias Gremory-senpai," Hyodo just looked irritated and had an angry expression on his face. Muttering something like 'Damn handsome' or somethin'.
"If you would please accompany me." I looked over at Hyodo, and patted his back. "C'mon, let's get going, she could probably answer your question better than I do."
He began squawking with disbelief about the Gremory heiresses wanting her to see him. Meanwhile, our resident blonde had a composed expression, but based on his stance, he was still weary around me, his body tensed to answer any unexpected developments and re3ady to cut me down. It was weird with this guy. He was the usual devil weariness, but he almost looked at me with hateful eyes looking for something within me.
We continued walking through the school, some girls passing by howling in excitement at seeing Kuoh's prince guiding us. I felt a few stares on me, probably wondering what a teacher was doing with two students. I would have asked the same to be honest, but there's nothing I can do about it. Eventually we arrived once more at the occult research club.
We made our way to a double oak door that stood tall, Kiba knocked on the door and came in, we followed. Entering the occult research club, their little mascot sitting in the couches nibbling on some pastries. Typical Koneko.
Her eyes roamed to me, and I let an amused smile make way into my face, a teasing glint dancing in my eyes. "My, Koneko. I see you have your sole mission of vanquising your enemies. After all, hunger is the enemy."
She shot me a glare, with no real heat behind. "Jerk." And she just continued munching on some pastries. My smirk only grew larger. Out of a door, Akeno Himejima stepped out with a cart filled with a steaming teapot and some porcelain teacups.
"Ah Morgan-senei, Hyodo; Thank you for coming." She said while coming our way.
"I'll tell the president that you have arrived. And then she made her way to a partially opened door. Steam was coming out of the door. Wait. Now that I notice… Is that a shower…? In the occult research club? Weird but ok.
Hyodo on the other hand had a gleeful expression on his face, as if he had forgotten that he almost died yesterday. Akeno walked towards Hyodo, coming back from the door, her usual smile present.
"Oh my! I believe we hadn't introduced ourselves. Akeno Himejima, vice-president of this club, nice to meet you."
To my surprise he looked bashful and awed at the girl in front of him. "Y-Yeah, Issei Hyodo, nice to meet you too."
The sound of a door opening filled the room, and Rias Gremory walked out with her usual grace while drying her hair with a towel.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, thank you for being patient." She said with a smile. We locked eyes and she started walking towards me. "Have you already explained to him his situation?"
"He has the jist of it." I responded without missing a beat.
"Good."
"Hyodo." I call for the boy. Almost immediately he stopped ogling Rias and Akeno and listened to my words. "This is your second option." He looked confused at first but then he recalled his words from earlier and paled a little.
"So you are…?" He started to get a little apprehensive. Before he could finish his sentence, out of the back of every occult research member, a pair of leathery bat wings sprouted from their backs.
"Correct. We are Devils." On instinct he took a step back, wearely looking at them. I put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's Ok, Hyodo. Listen for what she has to say." Looking back at me he nodded at my words. His eyes looked over to my back, searching for something.
"You aren't a devil, Sensei?" He asked with wide eyes.
"I'm not, Hyodo. I'm a human being, I'm just used to dealing with the supernatural."
"He doesn't know? What is your profession?" The Gremory heiress asked without any malice behind her voice, just an honest question.
"No he doesn't," before Hydo could ask anything regarding this I interrupted him. "Wait a bit, Hyodo. I'll tell you in a minute." Having said that I nodded at Rias, signaling her to continue.
"My name is Rias Gremory, heir to the Gremory clan from the 72 pillars of hell. It's a pleasure to meet you, Issei Hyodo. And today I have a proposition for you."
Hyodo for a moment followed her jiggling bosom when she puffed her chest out, captivated by the view, before refocusing at her eyes after a bit of work. This time I couldn't fault him. I did the same. Does the girl not wear bras or what? At least I hope I was discret at it.
In an attempt to regain composure, I scanned the room and caught Akeno Himejima's gaze fixed on me. Her sly smile held a hint of mischief, and it was apparent she had noticed my momentary distraction. I felt a rush of embarrassment wash over me; it seemed my attempt at subtlety had fallen short.
"..."
"..."
Her smile slightly grew. Shit. Frustrated with myself, I resorted to looking elsewhere, pretending I hadn't noticed her amused expression. However, Akeno's subtle eye roll and her persistently playful smile hinted that she wasn't about to let this go without a teasing follow-up. For the moment, I'll just ignore her.
"Hyodo Issei, I'd like you to join my peerage as my pawn!" The Gremory heiress's voice brought me back to the important matters at hand. Wow. Straight to the pont, she doesn't kick around the bushes.
"As a pawn…? What do you mean by that?" He asked with a confused tone. At that, I decided to help the boy out.
"A devil peerage is based around the game of chess, with each piece representing a member of the peerage. The pieces are, Pawn, Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen and lastly the King, with the King being the leader of the peerage with each piece having its own set of strengths and weaknesses."
I explained the boy, as if I were lecturing him in any other class.
"Oh my, you certainly know your stuff, Morgan-sensei" Akeno said with her usual smile.
"Of course I do, as you know in my line of work having such basic information is essential." I responded in kind, Hyodo looked a bit confused at my statement, but for the Gremory peerage, that statement was clear as day.
"Though, there are such exceptions to the usual rule of set traits in its pieces. The rule is just the standard."
Rias Gremory took a breath and continued his talks with Hyodo. "If you join my peerage you'll gain a lot of benefits serving under me, such as a devil's incredibly long life-span. If you train enough you could become a powerful and influential devil, and even gain your own peerage!" She boasted pridefully. Hyodo, meanwhile, looked my way for assistance.
"Sensei; Regarding the first option from earlier, why are you against training directly under you?" He asked, most likely measuring his options at hand. That was a good question, but a difficult one to answer, at least bare with the answer."
"..." I looked at the boy, figuring out what to respond. "Because of my real job, and because being involved with me would put you in a bigger danger than before." At that, all the people in the room turned to me, with Hyodo expecting an answer.
"Even though I teach you some English and give amazing life advice, the truth is that I hunt the supernatural. A moonlit world hunter." I made a pause and eyed the Gremory peerage before continuing. "Rias and her peerage already know about this, so let me tell you quickly about myself."
A sigh escaped my lips as I continued.
"My real name is Morgan Venatores, not Vendetti. For someone like you the name doesn't ring a bell, but in the supernatural, the Venatores were a highly skilfull Warriors that hunted the night. But through the years the clan gained a lot of enemies and eventually by a series of unfortunate events the family was vanquished. I am the last of my Clan."
Hyodo didn't say anything, but I could tell that what I told him was something that he wasn't expecting. His mouth opened trying to say something but it seemed that he couldn't find the correct words for it.
"I'm sorry to hear that sensei…" He eventually croaked out.
"Don't be. It happened decades ago, and I wasn't even born when it happened. But the main point still stands, I'm constantly in dangerous situations where I could be killed any day; and as a last descendant from the clan, anybody could come with a bone to pick and decide to kill me." I made a pause and looked around the room, I noticed Koneko now looking at me with her pastries now having been forgotten, a sad glint in her eyes looking almost in empathy.
"In my eyes, two things will happen if you train with me as a pupil. One. You would grow to become a powerful warrior with a sharp and strategic mind in a short span of a few years. Two. You will suffer an early death." Hyodo felt a cold sweat running down his neck, he looked into my eyes trying to see if I was baffling, I was not.
Now he looked distressfully scratching his head trying to reach the correct answer. Nobody is truly prepared to enter the supernatural. Even those who have known about it since they were children, when you see the true nature of the moonlit world, things tend to change, for better or worse.
Hyodo looked back at Rias, and she raised a brow. "Are there other perks to being a devil…? He asked in a resigned tone. This time she really stopped to think about an answer. After a brief pause she responded, and for the first in a very long time caught me completely off guard.
"You could have your own Harem."
"I ACCEPT!"
Haaah. I sighed. Deeply. I should have known that this would be the outcome. This is Issei Hyodo we are talking about, self proclaimed Harem King. Worst of all, she was actually telling the truth. Harem's were praised upon in devil society. But in the end, that was his choice and most likely the most safe one for him. Looking around Rias Gremory's peerage there was a genuine care within her group that couldn't be faked. He's probably in the best hands.
"Excellent!," She then walked forward, towards Hyodo and the Gremory Heiress embraced the boy, with his head resting in her bosom. "Welcome to the family, my dear servant." Her voice sounded like honey, I repressed the shudder traveling down my spine. Hyodo had a large, dumb smile on his face. Hmm. Definitely the correct choice.
"Welcome!" Both Akeno and Kiba welcomed him with a smile on their faces. Only Koneko remained stoic with having only said 'Welcome' in a low voice, it's the thought that counts.
"Well, Issei, let's start the reincarnation." Hyodo suddenly looked pale and nervous.
"W-Wait! Will I have to die for this!?" He asked in a panicked voice. The occult research club went silent for a moment. The silence was only broken by my snickering in the corner.
"Hehehehe…" Rias shrieked in a loud voice. "G-Goodness, no! You just have to stand there and do the reincarnation." Rias then went behind her desk and retrieved a small box. Opening said box, a series of bright red chess pieces were resting inside. A full set of pawns, a bishop, a knight, and a rook. Her hand then grabbed the pawn and moved towards Issei.
Rias then placed in his chest the first pawn, but after a moment, nothing happened.
"That's weird…" Both I and Rias muttered at the same time. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Seven pawns. Seven pawns and nothing has happened. I have never seen anything like this before. Whatever Sacred Gear Hyodo was holding off, it had to be a very pówerfull one.
Rias on the other hand, looked determined and nervous. She looked at her last pawn and took a hold of it dearly, finally, she placed the last pawn in his chest. Almost immediately all of them glowed bright and were absorbed into him. A powerful wind came from Hyodo's body and in a glorious moment, a pair of leathery wings sprouted out of his back. It was official now. Issei Hyodo was now a devil.
Everyone clapped at the new member of the occult research club. Even I.
"Well, if that's all I'll leave him with you so you can properly celebrate. I'll be on my way now." I turned around and made my way to the door.
"Wait!" A sudden voice stopped me in my tracks, my hand a few inches from grabbing the handle. Looking back I saw the Gremory Heiress with her hand extended.
"Yes? Lady Gremory?" She seemed a little hesitant at first, trying to say something but not sure how to say it. I waited patiently.
"Have you considered the magician's contract?" She asked with a tone of anticipation. "Not yet. If possible I'd like to discuss this again in the future with the presence of the Sitri Heirsess" I answered with stoic features. Rias looked a little dissapínted in my answer, but nodded all the same in understatement.
"It's fine, I'll arrange a meeting with Sona in the future." With that I started to leave the room, let the group have a little private celebration for their new member of occult research club. Heading towards the door, a sudden voice stopped me in my tracks.
"W-Wait!" Turning around I saw the Gremory Heiress with her hand stretched out, she seemed wanting to say something, but she looked a little hesitant, as if looking for the right words. "Would you like to join us for tea?" I felt my eyes widen a bit at that.
"Are you sure? I understand that this is a personal moment for you and your peerage; I wouldn't want to impose.."
"I insist, I would love it if you would join us this evening." Well would you look at that?
A small genuine smile formed in my face. "Well, If you insist, you'll have to bear with me a little longer." Maybe she wasn't as bad as I thought. I caught the pleased smile of Koneko in the corner of my eye.
When Azazel told me that he wanted to talk to me a few days later, I was expecting some sort of job that I needed to do. Go and check this out, kill some strays, get rid of some unruly monsters. Something in between those lines. However, what I heard standing besides Azazel was unexpected.
A petite, blonde girl in a nun's attire stood there, her wide green eyes absorbing every detail of the surroundings. From the bustling flow of people to the variety of stores lining the street, her curiosity seemed boundless, finding wonder in everything she laid her eyes on. It was an odd sight, seeing someone so immersed in something so mundane.
"Who 's this…?" I asked while eyeing the girl. She really was an odd one. Azazel then lightly patted the girl's shoulder, asking her to come forward.
"Her name is Asia Argento. She's the excommunicated nun I told you about. I saw the girl wince slightly, a sad look on her feutres. Smooth as sandpaper, Azazel.
"I need you to take care of her." He said with an honest grin.
"..."
I blinked slowly. Painfully so. Searching for any sign of jest in Azazel's expression. Much to my dispair his grin remained unwavering, as if what he'd just proposed was the most reasonable thing in the world. Was he actually serious? Well, then again this was Azazel we were talking about. I stole a glance at the girl, her wide-eyed innocence still fixated on me, and she shyly looked away. Though I didn't know if she could understand us at all.
Azazel suddenly looked at the shorter girl beside him.
"This is Morgan Venatores, he'll take care of you."
"I haven't decided that you smug bastard."
"Nice to meet you Mr. Morgan, my name is Asia Argento."
The girl nodded at me, with her bright green eyes still eyeing, most likely forming an opinion for herself. My stare roamed towards Azazel, and my less than friendly glare bore into his eyes. Not that the man cared.
A long silence passed between us, but even then he still looked at me with expecting eyes, his grin still unwavering and determined. Taking a deep breath, I continued.
"Why?" I hissed between my teeth.
"I'm a very busy man, a faction leather nonetheless. I would really appreciate the help. C'mon Morgan~. Lend this old man a hand."
The boldness of this man was outstanding. I would have been slightly impressed if I weren't the target of his mischief.
"I don't even have a proper place to live. I have been living in a hotel for the past weeks. Also, my salary as a teacher can't handle the necessities of two people. I can't take care of her."
Azazel suddenly looked pensive, narrowing his eyes at me and slightly scratching his goatee. When Azazel starts to think seriously about something it could be a great and impressive thing or it could be the silliest thing you have ever heard. I have a feeling it's the latter.
"So…" He started, his eyes dancing in mischief with his usual grin. "You could take care of her with everything you need…?" I don't like where this is going. A few hours later, we are now standing outside in a small yet cozy two story house in a nice suburb. The house was painted in a pristine white, and even had a small garden in front of the house. The wooden touches along the building only enhance its cozy yet modern look.
And to finish it all off. Azazel besides me, and the biggest eat-shitting grin I have ever seen on the man's face.
"Thank you for doing this for me Morgan! You are the best!" I have mixed feelings for Azazel right now. On one hand, I had the urge to punch this smug bastard so hard, but then again he just provided me with a house, a nice one at that. Calm down, Morgan. You just have to take care of a possibly emotional and stressed young girl which clearly I have experience in dealing with. No biggie.
"Consider this as a thanks for dealing with the fallen situation, even if you don't fully realize it, you really helped me out the other day."
Bashfully, I nodded, my hand absentmindedly grazing the stubble I called beard. "It's alright. Just take care of your problems next time," I murmured, hoping my gratitude was evident.
Stepping through the threshold, we entered the house, and my eyes eagerly roamed the space. The reality exceeded my expectations by far. The coziness enveloped me, and the compact layout felt just right for a small family. The furnishing, though basic, exuded a welcoming charm, with some modern commodities. A small living room, while modest in size, radiated a sense of comfort. A well-loved sofa and armchairs invited relaxation. The kitchen, compact and snug. I might not be that good of a cook, but maybe I can learn something.
Venturing further, the bedrooms. Each one with equally the same size. Though not expansive, they seemed to hold the relaxation I needed. Though small, It didn't feel cramped. And to finish it all off, a small room with some washing machine and some other stuff, all dictated to laundry.
"This whole place it's now for you and our little resident nun," Azazel said as I finished looking around the house. The petite blond girl still looking around amazed by everything. "Now, we need to talk about the whole situation. Get to know something about the girl." I nodded in response. We headed to the living room and I sat down on the couch, while Azazel called Asia to explain everything to her about how this was going to work. Now the three of us are present in the living room.
"Asia," The man called the blonde nun. "Morgan is a friend of mine, he will take care of you. Alright?" The nun just nodded looking between me and the fallen angel, a look of what looked like uncertainty in her eyes or maybe she was just nervous.
"Morgan, before I go," The man called to me, and suddenly a bright magic circle appeared on his right hand, in a flash of light a double edged short-sword along with its scabbard spawned in his hand. A somewhat decorated crossguard sword, with accents of red and gold around the cross, overall a good looking sword, and if I'm correct, a holy blessed sword.
Asia looked surprised, looking at the sword in the fallen's hand, probably sensing its holy energy. I looked at the man, with an unanswered question. "It's from Vali, after he broke the first one."
"Huh. I actually thought he wouldn't pay up my broken sword. He took his damn time, that's for sure." Azazel snickered while shaking his head. He suddenly got up and looked at the nun once more. "I'll tell Griselda you arrived safe and sound. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask Morgan or me when I'm around. Got it?"
"T-Thank you so much Mr. Azazel!" Azazel smiled and nodded at the girl.
"The same goes for you, Morgan. You know you can count on your pal!"
"I highly doubt it." I smirked. "But, thanks. I'll keep that in mind.
And with that a bright magic circle flashed beneath his feet, and just like that Azazel disappeared from the room, with only me and Asia in the living room.
"..."
"..."
Oh boy. This is gonna be tougher than I expected. Before anything could leave my mouth, the girl bowed her head.
"Thank you for taking care of me!" The little nun exclaimed, her expression hidden from me. Out of all the things I could have expected for her to say, 'Thank you' wasn't one of them.
"It's alright, kid. Don't sweat it." I said scratching my face. I then looked at the girl, who was now looking at my face, my guess, she was looking at the scar. Questions running through her mind. "...So… I heard you were a nun from the church?"
The way her face suddenly looked crestfallen made me feel like I had kicked a puppy. She hummed with a sad nod.
"Can you tell me a little about what happened? You don't have to if you don't feel like it."
"No, it's alright Mr. Morgan. It seems fair for you to know about me." She said having regained part of her composure. Her eyes still looked at me with a sad fondness, remembering her childhood home. The least I could do is hear her story.
"I didn't meet my parents when I was younger." She suddenly said, "My earliest memories are from the church I grew up in. It was a small church in a small town, the nuns took care of me and raised me as one of their own. I remember that I used to pass my days praying and helping around the church with whatever the father and the nuns needed help. It was a simple, happy life."
"Then later, I received a gift from God." She raised her hand at me and in a flash of bright light, a silver ring with a small green gem appeared on her hand. From the ring, a soft and gentle glow emanates from the gem. Immediately I knew what it was.
"A Sacred Gear…" I mumbled, eyeing the rings on her hands.
"Yes. Mr. Azazael called them. I think he called them… mmm…. Twilight…?"
"Twilight Healing." I said with a soft voice. Her eyes snapped to me, and she looked a bit surprised. The soft and gentle expression that crossed Morgan's features. It looked out of place for such a reaction in a man like him.
"Twilight Healing it's truly a gentle Sacred Gear. With the ability to heal all beings equally, Twilight Healing doesn't discriminate who to heal. A gear representing the idea of 'Mercy' for everyone." I locked eyes with Asia, a surprise present on her face and a small smile on her face.
Immediately, I felt my face flush a bit at the things I just said. Jeez, so corny. "Well… at least that's what I think."
"That's a beautiful interpretation Mr. Morgan!" She said with a smile. "When the nuns discovered my gift, I was immediately treated with reverence and called me a Holy Maiden. That was fine, maybe it was a signal from god to put my gift to service; And that's what I did. I healed the sick, the elderly and the children that came for my help. I felt happy."
She then made a pause with her eyes closed, her hand made a fist and then quickly released it. "One day…" She began quietly. "A wounded man stumbled at the door from the church." I felt my eyes perked up at that. "He was badly injured, and he needed assistance. So naturally I healed him with my gift. After that, he just left the grounds, only saying his thanks. At the moment I didnt think about it, but the next day, everybody treated me differently, not in a good way."
"The church excommunicated me." She said in a low voice, eyeing the floor. "They told me that I healed a Devil, and that was the cause of my excommunication."
"Do you regret it?"
"Huh?"
"Do you regret having healed that devil?" She looked at me with her wide green eyes, and then at the floor mulling her answer over. After a moment, she answered.
"No. I don't think I regret it. It's a shame that the church decided my excommunication, but I don't think I regret it."
"..."
Now it's all naked scenes. The church is filled to the brim with morons. How could they have excommunicated such a sweet and gentle girl? Truly, the audacity of some people.
"Fortunately, a woman took me in shortly after. Sister Griselda came for me, and took care of me before Mr. Azazael went for me."
"And now you're with me…"
"I'm sorry if I'm bothering Mr. Morgan, I promise to help you in every way I can!"
God bless this girl. Such a wholesome creature.
"Don't worry Asia, I assure you won't be a bother, and I appreciate the help." She threw a gentle smile at me in appreciation.
"I guess that in a way, I understand a little about how you feel." She looked surprised at my statement.
"What do you mean by that Mr. Morgan? She suddenly looked very interested in what I was about to say, but first I needed to make sure how much Asia knew about.
"Did Azazel tell you something about me, before you came here?"
"He told me that you would take care of me, and that he will come by when he has the chance." He made a pause, and then looked over to the new blessed sword in its scabbard. "He also told me you're a great warrior."
Puffing my chest out I smirked. "Indeed, I'm a great fighter, but yes, you got the gist of it." My hand then went to my back, the handle of the whip now resting in my hand. Grabbing it, I placed the chain-whip on the small coffee table.
"Do you know what this is?" Asia now had wide eyes, looking at the Holy chain whip in front of her. Her hand hovered over the chain, without really touching it.
"Such a potent Holy energy, it's incredible…" Her eyes fixated on the whip, suddenly locked to mine. "Wha- How- Where did you find this weapon?" Poor girl couldnt even make sentences. Grabbing the whip I showed it to the girl.
"This is the Morning Star whip, a Holy chain whip, with a very potent blessing. Heirloom to the Venatores Clan." Asia looked at the whip with awe and respect. "Do you know who the Venatores were?"
"No… Were they important people?"
"You could say that. The Venatores were a family of Monster Hunters. Descended by the first and legendary, Octavius Venatores, the family work was the hunt of the supernatural and the protection of the people, formerly, we were part of the church."
"Really!? Then how come I have never heard from you or your family? There was no mention from the Venatores in the archive of the church."
"By an unfortunate series of events, the church gave us back to the clan and excommunicated them. By that time, the clan had already made a lot of enemies in different supernatural factions, so many of them took advantage and hunted the family down. Most records and evidence of its existence is gone by now, or hidden from most of the moonlit world."
"So, in a way. I think that I can understand you; If only a little. You were just recently excommunicated and my clan was also. Even If it's been a long time ago, at least I can sympathize."
Asia gave me an appreciative look, with a small smile and her posture more relaxed than before. She must have that on her shoulders for a while now.
"Thank you for sharing this with me Mr. Morgan."
"I should say that to you, Asia. Also called me just Morgan. I think it's only fair."
"If that's what you want. Thanks again… Morgan."
A small smile made its way to my face. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as I thought it would be.
Author's Note: It's been a while. In all honesty, this chapter was way too hard to write, unexplicable so. Im struggling to get a clearer timeline for the story, but I guess this will only get better the more I write or actually make a plan before writing. Anyways, thank you for reading and have a good day.