Okay, just to make it clear for anyone who might not have assumed already, this chapter obviously isn't going to be the Olympus one. That's next chapter. I wanted to make the chapter with Ophis and stuff a separate chapter from Olympus because I expect the visit to Olympus to be a very long one, like others of the same quality from the past. It's going to be long and a TON of shit is going to happen. I already have most of it planned out, so ideally, it shouldn't take me as long as I feared to write it. Be patient for that one though, I'm a perfectionist, so you know I like to make the most important chapters as good (and LONG) as possible. And to be honest, it's going to be a STRUGGLE making the Olympus chapter not longer than 40,000 words or something crazy… Taking one glance at my notes, I can already see it…
So with that being said, let's not delay, let's just get into it!
Part 1
As unexpected as it was, I maintained my composure in front of the legendary existence before me. Azazel was right. This certainly was a "final boss" type character.
The person– no, the creature that stood in front of me, was none other than Ophis, the God of Dragons. The Infinite…
"OPHIS?!"
[–?!]
It was Rias who exclaimed in shock, which was enough to summon everyone from my group to the main entrance. The awe was present in their expressions, as well as the panic. Inevitably, practically everyone aside from myself went into battle stances. Ravel, clearly concerned and afraid, ran to my side and clung to me without removing her eyes from Ophis.
It went without saying that my eyes were also locked onto hers– no, onto Its own. Its gaze was hollow and indifferent, which gave me a chill…
Azazel jumped in front of Ophis and waved his hands around frantically. He and Rias began shouting at each other. Despite that, even if just from the small openings beside Azazel's waist, Ophis and I didn't break eye contact for a second…
"Wait, wait, hold on! Calm down! No fighting! Let me explain!"
"Explain?! What is there to explain?! Azazel, have you forgotten who this is?!"
"Obviously, I know! But you need to hear us out! Ophis isn't going to fight you! Hell, even if she did, there's nothing any of us could do to win anyway!"
"Hear you out?! Azazel, do you have any idea what this means?! This completely breaches the parameters of the alliance treaty! No, in fact, "breaching," "violating"– neither of those words even begin to cover it! This is an absolute insult to everything the Three-powers stand for! It's beyond treason! It's an insult to everyone who's fought and died against the Khaos Brigade!"
"If we can accomplish this, then no one will have to die at all anymore! But in order to do that, we need to hear her out! We need a proper discussion! So let's just go inside, yeah?"
"Discussion?! Have you lost your mind?!"
As the members of my group began to pile onto Azazel for his rash suggestions, I heard a ping somewhere in the back of my mind that hurt my head.
(...They're all just ganging up on him without even giving him a chance…)
–I shook away the ringing in my head, affirming to myself that I couldn't let this carry on, lest the situation escalate itself towards an unfavorable conclusion.
Taking one last glance at Ophis, I then looked at Ravel and nodded my head to reassure her. I stood between the two parties with my hands raised.
"Alright, alright! Enough! Settle down! Let Azazel explain himself."
"Ise..?! What are you..."
I only gave Rias a stern glance in response. She quietly backed down. I wasn't trying to intimidate her, but her reaction suggests that I might've…
Either way, my group appeared shocked at my consideration, but Azazel and I exchanged an understanding nod to each other. He was finally given a moment to speak.
"Okay… Look, this might seem insane, and it probably is.. But it's like I told Ise yesterday, if you want this all to work out, you're going to need to trust me."
Rias asked me dumbfoundedly.
"Ise… You knew that Ophis was coming here?"
Despite getting a good night's sleep, I sighed tiredly.
"Haah, no… Like I said yesterday, I didn't know who was going to come here. I just knew that it wouldn't be a pleasant surprise like last time was. That being said, Ophis would've been my last and most cynical guess… But it's too late to regret anything now. We're here, and it's not like we have a better option than talking. Fighting certainly isn't one. That's why, we shouldn't just hear them out, we have to."
Although I was worried on the inside, I still smiled at Azazel.
"Besides, I've put my trust in Azazel more times than I can count. And it's gotten ugly more times than I count… But he's never led me astray or left me on my own, not really… So even if it does get ugly again, we're in this together. That's just how it is."
Azazel displayed a rare smile mixed with relief and appreciation. Yea, despite everything, I still trust this bastard. Even though he said that I shouldn't, heh…
"Until then, we'll just have to take whatever's thrown at us."
Rias, no, pretty much everybody in my group, still seemed hesitant.
"But, Ise… Given how much destruction she's caused in the Underworld, it would be completely within reason to brand her our archnemesis… How can we just let her into our home?"
I said it in a perfectly relaxed tone so as not to sound commanding, but from the look on everybody's faces, it wasn't enough to avoid it.
"–Because that's what I've decided."
After that, pretty much none of my friends said anything against me.
Before I got the chance to sigh again, somebody glomped onto me with their breasts up against my chest.
"Long time no seeee~, Red Dragon Emperor! You still totally love boobs, I hope?"
Kuroka tried to sandwich my arm between her breasts, but I pulled away.
"On the right people and at the right times, definitely, yeah."
Kuroka paused for a moment. Her expression looked surprised, but not shocked.
"Heeeh~ It's just like Vali said. You are different now."
"Oh yeah? He said that? Bet he says lots of things."
"Hm, not these days."
She looked me up and down, all around, as if inspecting me. Then she started sniffing me, and then she quickly got a lick in on my cheek.
"Oy!"
"Hmm… Yep, you still have that same virgin flavor, but… Ara, ara~ There's a tinge of "sweetness" to it that wasn't there before. That's definitely the flavor of a man who's had a small taste of a woman since then. Unless I'm mistaken?"
She asked me provocatively, to which I unconsciously glanced down at my side where Ravel was standing. She quietly turned her head away in response.
(..I could also feel those unwelcome gazes lingering behind me..)
"...Sorry to say, but you are mistaken."
"Oh? Is that so, nyan? Well.."
Kuroka very subtly shifted her eyes to Ravel before looking away. This sly woman. She must've noticed my slip up..
"I guess I'll just have to take your word for it, Sekiryuutei-chin~"
It annoyed me how she said that in a suggestive manner, implying that she knew exactly what was going on but decided to play along anyway. She's too observant for her own good when it comes to stuff like this…
"Yeah, and if you know what's good for you, you'll keep your nose out of other people's business. Especially when you're in my home. Don't forget the old saying: "Curiosity killed the cat..."
Kuroka definitely made a surprised face after what I said. However, that sadly didn't last long. She went back to her sultry attitude quickly.
"Scaaary~ is this what it feels like to be threatened by the legendary god-slayer? It gets me kind of excited, nyaaa~"
She licked her lips. Ugh, this woman is hopeless. How does Vali do it…? Whatever, I'll just ignore her for now. The next person to see is the short magician accompanied by a familiar mutt.
"You're Le Fay Pendragon, right?"
"Yes, Mr. God-slayer, sir. Greetings to you all. I am Le Fay Pendragon. Thank you for the assistance in Kyoto. My little friend here is Fenrir."
It wasn't as shocking as seeing Ophis, but it was a surprise to say the least, seeing Fenrir again. So they really did catch and tame Fenrir like they planned during the Loki incident. Vali was telling the truth in Hell after all. Well, not like I doubted him. He isn't the type to lie about that stuff. Maybe because I'd heard it from Vali before, but it wasn't as surprising as I would've thought to see what the legendary creature had become.
–Then, something unexpected occurred.
For some unknown reason, Fenrir left Le Fay's side and came up to me. I wasn't sure what he wanted, but I didn't get to ask, since he started licking my palms out of nowhere. It's been a while since I've had a dog's tongue touch me, it certainly feels different from a cat's. Although, I expected it to be from a regular dog, not the legendary Fenrir…
"Uhh, does he usually do this?"
I asked candidly, but Le Fay shook her head profusely.
"Oh! No, never, not once, in fact. It took a while for him to become accustomed to everyone in our group, especially Kuroka. He doesn't approach strangers without my permission either, let alone lick their palms. How strange… I wonder why."
To Le Fay's confusion, Azazel offered up his own explanation.
"..In legend, it's Fenrir who's supposed to kill Odin himself. Hence why he's referred to as the [God-devouring Wolf.] Or "the God-eater," for short. He possesses fangs and claws imbued with a forbidden technique that has the power to slay gods… If you really think about it, this is probably the first time he's encountered another "god-slayer" like himself. So, maybe that's why he's taken a bizarre liking to you..."
He likes me because I'm a fellow god-killer..? Could he tell that I was just by scent or..? Either way, what an unexpected development.
"..But why lick my palm?"
"Well, those are the hands you used to snap a god's neck after all. In his eyes, those hands of yours must be what he sees as your "fangs." Or rather, your "claws…"
"Huh… I guess that explains it. I wonder…"
Out of a sense of morbid curiosity, once Fenrir finished licking my hand, I firmly commanded him to see if he would follow my instruction.
"Sit!"
To my surprise, he actually listened. Fenrir really sat down. Azazel uttered in amazement.
"I can't believe what I'm seeing.."
Yea, me neither. Me and Fenrir. Who would've thought? Although, he shouldn't get his hopes up too high. At this point, I'm sort of "tied" to the Greek pantheon side of things so, sorry, bud. A pet or two is all you're getting from me.
Besides, you're Vali's guard dog. No offense to my rival, but…I don't need one.
"–Ddraig."
Ophis called out to me. Only now did I realise that she's been staring at me this entire time.
"I want…to talk."
That's what Ophis said. Despite being the universe's strongest dragon-god, she speaks pretty softly.
"Let's have tea. I had to trick and lie to the other leaders to make this happen. If we're found out, and things go south, my head can kiss my shoulders goodbye."
Azazel urged us to go inside. Seeing as there wasn't anything to do outside, I nodded in agreement with his suggestion.
"Yea, you're right. Let's head in... Akeno-chan, prepare some tea and snacks for our guests."
Under usual circumstances, I would have Ravel fulfill this request for me, but… I have a feeling right now isn't a good time.
(..I can't risk her safety above all else. She needs to stay beside me..)
"Azazel, do you know if It eats?"
I asked Azazel in reference to Ophis. He answered me while emphasising Ophis's pronouns.
"Yea, she does. According to Vali, she likes cookies and other sweets."
Is he humanising her on purpose? Is it to make her more relatable to us or is it a strategy? A sign of goodwill..? For now, I'll go along with it.
"Oh, does she..? Well, lucky for her, we've got plenty.… Akeno-chan, make sure to bring some cookies out with the rest of the snacks. Oh, and uh.."
I took another glance at the legendary mutt below me and smirked.
"Get the dog a piece of meat."
With that, we entered my home and headed straight for the VIP room.
Part 2
"Here is your tea.."
Akeno-chan cautiously offered our "enemies" their tea. Le Fay sipped hers, while Kuroka munched on some of the snacks on the table. She's fittingly lazing about like a cat. The only part of the picture that doesn't fit is the wolf sleeping on the ground next to them. They don't seem nervous or on guard. Everyone on my side is practically the opposite though.
..As for myself, I'm not afraid. But I am wary. Namely, I'm focused on the dragon-god who sat directly across from me on the other sofa, occasionally taking cookies to eat, one by one.
Akeno-chan then came up to me with a tray and presented the packaged meat from one of our fridges.
"And… here is the meat."
It looks like she didn't know what to do with it or how to give it to him. Guess I can't blame her. That "god-eater" tried to kill her and Rias once at Loki's command. Understanding this, I took the meat out of the package and called Fenrir myself.
"Fenrir!"
I shouted a bit to see if he would wake up, and of course, his head perked up immediately. I did what I assumed was the most reasonable thing and tossed the slab of meat towards him without leaving the couch.
"Here, uh, boy… Catch!"
Unsurprisingly, Fenrir caught the meat with ease. Once he had it, he sat back and scarfed it down pretty easily. That little piece probably wouldn't be enough to satiate a mutt whose diet consisted of gods like him, but maybe it'll hold him over for now.
Anyway… Speaking of snack lovers, Koneko is the only one amongst the Gremory group that isn't here. She's still resting in her room. Worried about his friend, Gasper went to stay by her side. Which...is for the best. It's better that he isn't here. This type of atmosphere is too heavy for a guy like him. I'd rather he stay somewhere safe.
Still, I'd wish Ravel went with him. She clearly seemed like she wanted to check on Koneko as well, but she refused my suggestion. She doesn't want to leave my side. On one hand, I don't want her away from me either, but on the other, I want her as far from danger as possible. But who can say which is safer. Maybe it's for the best that she stays where I can see her. Where I can protect her, should anything go wrong…
Speaking of which, Azazel told us to hear Ophis out, but about what exactly? We don't even know why she's here.
I looked over to Azazel, who was separate from everyone in his own seat, as if acting medium for both sides. He nodded at me wordlessly.
Yeah… I guess there's only one way to find out after all.
"So… What is it that you want from me, Ophis?"
I asked as calmly as I could. There's no reason to back down from this. If I'm going to face it, I'll face it head on. Or else, I can't really call myself the Sekiryuutei, let alone the [Shield of Aegis.]
Ophis finally took a sip from her tea and addressed me.
"God-killer."
"...Yeah?"
I wondered why that was the moniker she chose, considering that she referred to me by Ddraig's name earlier.
"Is Ddraig finished being a Heavenly Dragon?"
Now that was a curveball… She switched back from God-killer to Ddraig too… Having no idea what she meant, but feeling an eerie sense of examination from her, I asked Ophis.
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Human vessel. You have grown since I last saw you. Not only in your use of the Longinus, but also by unnatural forces. You have gained a new foreign power. Your development, it is most strange, and very different from other Heavenly Dragons. Vali too. Mysterious. Most mysterious."
That's what she said… So she's referring to the rapid and unusual growth that my rival and I tend to experience? No, it's more than that. She mentioned "foreign powers," no doubt the power of Atlas… But again, why would Ophis be interested in that? Atlas wasn't a dragon. I was under the impression that she'd only be interested in Ddraig and his power… However, she keeps referencing the other parts. She seems keenly adamant asking about them.
"You fought Cao Cao, then Bael. And in between both of those fights, you fought Evil-gods beforehand. You have defeated two gods. You have slain one. And Ddraig has evolved differently. His flames have devoured his wings, and his armor has taken a new form that is not his own. The Phoenix. A new development. He has assimilated the form of another legendary creature, and there is another inside of the human vessel itself that is assimilating him. An unusual paradigm. Unique. And so, I ask: Ddraig, what will you become? And who is your host?"
..What will Ddraig become..? And who is his host? What kind of question is that? I don't know what she means by that. Is she asking me about who I think I am? My name? My identity? My title? The Sekiryuutei? The God-slayer? The Shield of Aegis? Is she asking "who am I?" Or…does she mean something else?
In the moment of my contemplation, my gauntlet materialised on my arm and Ddraig's voice was projected from it.
[I do not know, Ophis… What this host of mine wants to be… Even he still doesn't know yet. He has many names to live up to. He has many dreams and visions ahead of him. He is…a complicated man. In my time with him, I have learned how complex humans can be. They are not as simple to understand as gods and dragons are… Yet, it is because they are so much more that I…. Still, no matter the case, he is my partner. Whatever path he chooses, whatever name he takes, I shall bear it with him. Not because I am tied to his existence, but because that is what I have chosen. I have chosen to have faith in him.]
….What Ddraig said, it made my brain stop thinking. I… Up until now, I had never imagined that Ddraig had thought of me like that… I have no idea when it became like this… Did he always have such a high opinion of me? Did he always talk about me with respect? No, that couldn't be… It wasn't even that long ago that I was causing him anguish, and ruining his reputation. After all that's happened, I honestly felt that Ddraig might've despised me, somewhere deep down inside… And yet…
"Faith? You have chosen faith? I do not understand. Does this mean that Ddraig will adapt to whatever ideal or vision this human vessel may seek? Despite not knowing or understanding what it might be?"
[That's right. That's what I've decided. Wherever he may go, whatever path he may take, it will be our own. It will belong to the both of us. And whatever it is, I'm sure that it will raise the idea of Sekiryuutei to new heights. That is who my host is.]
"Ddraig…. You…"
–I couldn't say a word.
All this time, I've completely neglected you and what you stood for. I moved forward on my own, with my own selfishness as the motive. And despite it all, despite everything I've put you through, despite whatever trouble I've caused you or disappointment you've felt… you still believe in me.
To think that all this time since I've defeated Atlas, so much of my time has been devoted to mastering his power. All of my inner turmoil and meditation, all of it's been focused on Atlas. All of my thoughts have been focused on the gods, their expectations, their recognition. All of my focus has been outside of you. So much so that I've begun to neglect the power of the Sekiryuutei. I don't even think about training with it. I've just been pondering different methods of harnessing the power of Atlas instead…
But you never stop thinking on my behalf… And you're willing to let me throw you to the wayside, if need be…
I then remembered the words that Ddraig said to me in the capital of Kyoto..
[..To believe that I found joy in this "reputation" of yours previously… I didn't consider your feelings, partner. How ironic… Forgive me for failing as a partner.]
Somewhere beneath the surface, I must've felt a pain in my heart.
I can't believe this… Ddraig, you never failed me… I've failed you. Time and time again… And even now, in the face of the Ouroboros, you defend me…
"I still do not understand. The Heavenly Dragons, my Infinite, the Great Red's Illusion, the power of hegemony mixed in a chant. Ddraig, why did you seek to become the Red Dragon Dynast back then?"
[It was probably in an attempt to seek greater power. It was a fruitless effort. In the end, I was destroyed. However, I didn't imagine that I could've gained power in other ways. And as time has passed, I have thought less of the nature of power and more of the meaning of it.]
It was then that Ddraig and Ophis began to have an exchange of existential profoundness that seemed to surpass the realm of earthly beings. It wasn't the level of complexity that perplexed us, rather, it was the depth of meaning behind each phrase that left us speechless. It would've been apt to equate it to a duo of omniscient beings discussing the root of creation itself..
"The meaning of power? Is it hegemony? I do not know of hegemony. The Khaos Brigade seek it. I do not know it. The Great Red is not it. Nor am I."
[Those who are truly mighty wouldn't understand hegemony. It's a dimension apart from you, an existence born from the nothingness of the Infinite, and Great Red, hailing from the Illusion of reality. Ophis, what did you gain coming to this world from the Dimensional Gap? Why do you wish to return to the void? And from where within the being born from nothingness, in the nothingness itself, was the desire to return born?]
"I have a question for you, Ddraig. Why do you seek to become something else? Will you abandon hegemony? What else lies ahead? Have you found hegemony through the death of gods? With the blood of gods, the strength of your spirit will increase. The Longinus will no longer remain in its echelon. It will rise to a new type. It will belong to a separate category. Even the First Longinus might be surpassed. Is that what you seek? Do you wish to usurp Longinus? Without The Architect present in this world, do you wish to redefine Sacred Gear? Do you wish to exist beyond the nebula sleeping within the depths of the Boosted Gear?"
[As I said before, to seek hegemony is a fruitless effort. I am only a spirit. Perhaps it's possible to become more through the slaying of gods, and it's true that the nature of the Boosted Gear has likely changed thanks to the blood that stained its jewels. I imagine that trend could continue. Perhaps then, it will surpass Longinus to become something of its own…. Whatever the case, it is not the outcome I wish to know. It is the ideal. I have chosen faith in my host. And that was the result of my revelation. To understand the meaning of power and not the nature of it.]
"The nature of power is growth. So said Albion and his vessel. But the meaning of power? They never spoke of this. What is it?"
[Well, there isn't a single true answer. Inevitably, there are those who will seek power for conflicting reasons, and eventually, those ideals will clash. However, in this, I have discovered that the meaning of power is best understood in what it is in service of. Power is present in its truest form when it is in service of something.]
"In service of something? What is that?"
[...Well, it is from my partner that I have discovered it. The meaning of power, in service of something, it will present itself in its truest form…. And it is from what my partner's power is in service of that I have found it.]
"What is it in service of?"
[The desire to protect. Whether to protect one's ideals, visions, hopes, dreams, or loved ones. From that desire to protect, I have felt the truth of the meaning of power. As you said, the nature of power is to grow, and that growth is only possible through understanding the meaning of power. It is through thatpurpose that, no matter which obstacle he faces, my partner's power continues to evolve and change. There are other purposes which can grow it, but none so effective as protection. Not from what I have witnessed. Only against the heir of Bael did I understand that fact to be true. Through the clash of the hopes and dreams they both wished to protect, these two surpassed their earthly limits which bound them to the realms of "weakness" they were predestined to, and my partner was able to redefine the form of the Scale Mail entirely. There, he surpassed the category of Longinus, though he hasn't harnessed it yet, nor is he aware. But it is from that point that he continues to evolve endlessly, with limitless possibility. So you see, power can only be defined by its purpose. Power without purpose can only be, it cannot change. And if that is the case, what does that mean for you, Ophis? A being born from nothingness, who simply is, what is the purpose of your power? Why are you the Infinite? Have you ever asked yourself that? Do you know what your power is in service of? Or is that why you are here? To find out…? Ophis, I will ask you again. Why do you wish to return to the void? And for the power that is, what is the meaning that seems not to be present within it..?]
Finally, after all of the mind-boggling dialogue, the two Dragons stopped talking abruptly. For a moment, I thought I saw something like a glint flash in Ophis's dead, black eyes… But never once did she change expression throughout the entire conversation. Was I mistaken..? Either way, there was nowhere any of us lowly creations could interject in their talk. It was a discussion that existed beyond the boundaries of regular comprehension.
And thanks to that, it was quiet for a while there…
"Unbelievable…. An exchange of this caliber… it isn't something you can witness in mortal lifetimes…. This is a once in all-time opportunity…"
That's what Azazel uttered in amazement. Yeah… It feels like I just listened to a conversation between The Creator of the universe and The Destroyer. Well, that's the only way my brain can describe it, using nebulous titles for an abstract analogy. My brain feels like it's fried… I wish Shemhazai-san was here to take notes for me and translate into layman's terms..
"Human vessel."
Ophis broke the silence by directly calling out to me. I'd be lying if I didn't say it made me uncomfortable.
"...Hyoudou Ise. That's my name."
Maybe it was arrogant of me, but I gave Ophis my name. Despite that, she didn't seem bothered.
"Hyoudou Ise? What do you wish to become? God-killer. Have you abandoned the title of Breast Dragon Emperor? Do you no longer seek the power of Breasts?"
I was taken aback hearing Ophis of all people mention that, and even a little ashamed. To believe that even she's asking me about that… Geez, I have a lot to apologise for, Ddraig. I'm clearly the bad partner here, not you.
I stuffed down my awkwardness as much as I could to respond.
"That's right… I've given that up. That's no longer who I am anymore. My desire is to leave that behind, and live as a proper Sekiryuutei. For the sake of my partner, who I've neglected for too long, I'll wipe the slate clean and restore the reputation of Sekiryuutei, as well as raising it to new heights."
That's what I declared, confidently. This is…the first time I've ever denied the Oppai Dragon openly to anyone. Even during the Rating Game against Sairaorg, I wasn't as straightforward about it. But now, my mind is made up. I can see certain parts of my pathway forward clearly, and others not so much. But in either case, I don't see the Chihiryuutei there…
Ignoring the surprised faces of my comrades beside me, Ophis and I continued.
"Raising the Sekiryuutei to new heights? Erasing the Breast Dragon Emperor..? The reputation of the Sekiryuutei. Is that what you wish to protect? Is that the meaning behind your power?"
"Well… It's one of many things. I can't say that it's the main reason."
"Does having many things to protect increase growth? Does the quantity produce evolution?"
"..Not exactly. I wouldn't say it's about how many things you have to protect. Although, having more than one thing to protect can make you powerful. But what's even more important is the depth of meaning behind each thing you want to protect. The significance of what you want to protect."
"Significance? In relation to what? In relation to power? In relation to evolution? Does the significance of something in the category of "strength" define this?"
"No… what I mean is solely in relation to oneself. Whatever significance something or someone holds to oneself, to me… Like with Ddraig and his reputation. The depth of that significance exists because of my connection to Ddraig. Not because of what it represents, nor because it is of use to me. It's not the only thing I want to protect, but it is one of many to protect. For my sake, and for my partner's sake.."
"You wish to protect Ddraig. Why? There is no obligation. Even if Ddraig were to disappear, his power would remain. Why protect his reputation? Why protect him? Is there more power to gain from increasing your compatibility?"
"Like I said, there doesn't need to be. I don't protect Ddraig for power's sake. I protect him because I want to. I don't need to gain from it."
"I do not understand. Why do you wish to protect him? Why is that your desire? You do not protect to gain power? Then where is the meaning of power? Does having more than one thing to protect increase power? Where is the "significance to oneself" born from? Where is the "desire to protect" born from?"
At this point, she might as well have been asking me why we sentient creatures desire anything in the first place. In fact, it almost feels similar to that. As a result, I ended up asking her instead.
"Then answer me this, Ophis. Why do you wish to return to the void? Ddraig already asked you, but you never answered. What is it there that you wish to obtain?"
"A world of silence. I would like to return to the Dimensional Gap that is my home, and reclaim that silence. That is all."
That's exactly what she said last time too, word for word. So her motives haven't changed. In that case…
"So that's your desire, even now? And how did you come to discover that it was your desire?"
"After I encountered Albion. His vessel asked me why I was forming the Khaos Brigade, an organization with a goal I did not care for, and with a name which I did not choose. I simply answered that I intended to return to the Dimensional Gap, but I needed power to remove Great Red. That is when the vessel told me that it was my "desire." I had no knowledge of desire prior to that, but I came to understand it through his explanation."
So it was Vali who cleared up the definition for her. But not entirely, it seems. And now, it looks like I'm left to finish the job.
"So now, you understand desire. But let me ask you this, Ophis. Why is your desire to return to the void? Why do you wish to obtain silence? I'll ask you again what my partner asked, in my own words, to make you understand, Ophis. Why do you even desire anything? In other words: from where within the being who represents [infinity] does the desire to return to the void emerge? Why, within the nothingness contained inside the being born from nothingness, was "desire" even born in the first place..?"
–After what I said, the room fell eerily silent. A heavily deafening silence for the most heavily weighted questions I have ever asked in my life. I never thought I'd be capable of asking such questions, let alone using them to converse with the Ouroboros, but here we are… I'll need to thank Shemhazai-san all over again the next time I see him…
To my question, Ophis looked down at her teacup sitting on the table. For a moment, I could've sworn that I saw the still liquid sitting inside of it ripple..
"...I do not know."
"You might not know it, but you said it yourself just earlier. The answer is right in front of you. But if you can't see it, then you won't be able to understand the meaning of power that Ddraig and I have discovered. That's the truth, Ophis."
Without saying a word, Ophis slowly lifted her black orbs for eyes to look directly at me. The depth of the bottomless pit contained within her eyes sucked me in. I felt as if through the abyss that pierced into me, I could see the very essence of the Infinite itself, swirling somewhere deep within. In all honesty, it frightened me like nothing else in my life ever has. It wasn't like the fear of mortality, it was like the fear of something far greater beyond that… But in reality, it might just be the human part of my brain showing its weakness in comprehension of the existential.
Even so, I didn't look away. Who knows. Maybe I couldn't…
Eventually, Ophis spoke, breaking me from my trance. I noticed then that she was wearing a little smile.
"...Interesting. The human vessel has evolved differently from other vessels, and he has evolved differently from other mortal creatures. Ddraig might escape the realm of Longinus, and his vessel might escape the realm of mortals. The mind of the vessel has already surpassed it. Only the spirit can follow. And in part of his ascension, the human vessel has found a way to silence the Infinite."
..I was following everything she said until now. Now, I am thoroughly confused. The realm of mortals and Longinus? My mind, my spirit..? What does all of this mean?
As I was confused, Azazel chuckled proudly, and with some disbelief in his voice.
"Heh… Of course, Ophis. If anyone was going to be capable of stumping the Infinite, it was going to be my disciple. You're right. He's grown beyond just the category of his strength. His mind isn't that of a regular human's anymore. Now, he can even converse on the level of immortal deities and dragons, apparently.. That's part of why you're interested in him in the first place, isn't it?"
What Azazel said just now… I "stumped" the Infinite…? In other words, my question stumped Ophis? Which means she doesn't have an answer for it. Which means…she's admitting that I know something she doesn't…
Ophis undoubtedly has more knowledge than me. On a wealth of subjects I probably couldn't begin to understand, I'm sure. Even so, having [the Ouroboros,] the dragon-god that represents Infinity and nothingness, "concede" to me on any spoken subject in existence… I have to admit, it sounds like a pipe dream. And it sounds like it might be the greatest mental accomplishment I've ever achieved too. Take that, all the teachers that didn't believe in me from school!
I mean, I'm sure anyone smarter than someone like me could've done it. If it was Shemhazai-san, or even Azazel himself, I'm positive they could've done the same thing, maybe even a bit quicker. But still, I can't help feeling disbelief at the idea that I was able to do it too…
Ophis looked at me again.
"I want to see it. Ddraig. Human vessel; Hyoudou Ise. Show it to me, so that I too may understand. The meaning of power. Show me what you will become."
That's what she demanded of me. So she wants me to show her what I mean, huh? I suppose that's something I can do. In terms of showing her what I'll become though… Well, that's something not as easy to do. Like Ddraig said before, even I don't know exactly what I'll become. I don't have it all figured out yet, unfortunately…
"Well, I'll try my best… I hope that you'll be understanding enough to give me some time to do that."
–But then, I let something slip.
"...Although, considering how much time I've got left, I wouldn't blame you for being impatient, honestly…"
Before I realised it, Ophis responded right away.
"I was born from the Infinite. I am Infinite, therefore my lifespan is Infinite. I do not mind waiting. Devils also have a very long lifespan, don't they? Is ten thousand years too little?"
To that, I couldn't help but laugh, almost ironically. Ah shit, what did I just say out loud…
"Hahaha… Aaah, well, about that, actually…. Let's just say that I no longer have the luxury to promise anything within a time frame that…doesn't exist anymore. To someone like you, I'll probably be gone in the blink of an eye… before you even know it…"
Ophis cocked her head to the side.
"Is it because of the Juggernaut drive? How much of your lifespan did it consume?"
The question of the century… My only century… I never thought it'd come up in a conversation with the Ophis of all people. Up until now, we've kept it a secret amongst Azazel, Rias, Koneko, and myself… but looks like that's not an option anymore. Can't hide it now.
I unintentionally answered Ophis's question in somewhat of a cheeky, but low tone, with a morbid smile on my face.
"...Enough."
How crass of me. But the cat's out of the bag now. No point in mulling it over. I brushed it aside.
"...But don't worry about that. That doesn't matter… For now, let's just hope that I can gather for you the answers that you want…. the answers we want, to your questions before then…"
To that, Ophis gave me an expression I didn't know was possible for her consecutively. Another small smile.
"Very well. We shall see."
"Yeah… yeah, I guess we will."
With the unwelcome silence that returned, I decided that was enough conversation for now. If anything else comes up, I'm sure Azazel can handle it. For now, I think I need to go and lie down… I've got enough on my mind lately to tire me out first thing in the morning.
After a pause, I stood up and gestured to my surroundings.
"Alright then! Make yourselves at home! You're going to anyway…"
With an exasperated sigh, I started to walk out of the VIP room, but Ophis hit me with one last question.
"Where will you go now, Hyoudou Ise?"
I turned back and smiled with a facetious tone.
"To think about your questions, obviously! For the rest of my…ever shortening mess of a life.."
The last part I said under my breath, but dead god knows that probably everyone could hear it.
First Olympus, now this… Ugh, I think I have a headache…
I didn't notice it then either, but I was so out of it that I didn't even realise I left Ravel behind with the others.
Kiba
"To think about your questions, obviously! For the rest of my…ever shortening mess of a life.."
That was the last thing Ise-kun said before walking out of the room… Just now, wh..what did he and Ophis mean about his lifespan..? He said that…he doesn't have much time left? The Juggernaut drive… Ophis said it…consumed his lifespan? What..?
This was the first time I heard of any of this so naturally, I was shocked. I almost didn't believe it. And judging from the reactions of everyone around me, they didn't all believe it either.
I mean, Vali told us it was a possibility that the Juggernaut drive could drain him of all his lifespan and kill him, but…wasn't that possibility avoided once he was out of that form…? Sensei told us that if he went into that form again, he would die, but… That means, what he meant by that was that Ise-kun didn't have any lifespan left to spare…?
"Aww... I wasn't able to get his autograph."
Le Fay said it with disappointment. Ah, that's right… That girl is surprisingly one of Ise-kun's fans…
"..Sorry for heaping all of the trouble on you guys again. I know right now is a vital time for everyone, especially Kiba and Akeno. But just bear with it for now, for the sake of possibly reaching a conclusion in the war with Khaos Brigade."
Sensei apologised to us earnestly, but I don't think most of us were properly listening after the shock we just received. Only Buchou responded dimly.
"..Well, I'm alright with it as long as they don't cause any trouble… Although, my opinion isn't relevant, I suppose… Since Ise has already decided that they will stay here, I have no right to object.."
That's right. It was Ise-kun's command that they would stay… To be honest, I never thought I'd hear him say something like that. Even if he said it normally, it still wasn't something I expected.
"Ophis, Kuroka, Le Fay. I'm in no position to be lecturing anyone here, but these guys have some important things coming up. Tests and travels alike. Please try not to disturb them too much for the time being."
To that entreatment, Ophis, Le Fay, and Kuroka agreed.
"Very well."
"But of course..!"
"I'm just here to relax, nyan!"
Sensei nodded his head and made an attempt to conclude the meeting, but…
"Alright, everyone. It's a peculiar situation, but you've been through worse, I think. Keep your heads in the game and try not to get distracted. That's all. You're dismissed–"
"Sensei– No, Azazel."
It was Akeno-san who interrupted the dismissal. I couldn't see her face clearly through her bangs, and she was talking in a low tone that was unlike her usual self. The last time I heard her sound like that, it was during the Rating Game with Sona-kaichou's group, after Ise-kun had been eliminated…
"That thing Ise-kun said about his lifespan…. It's a lie, right..? It isn't true… It's a lie, isn't it?"
She said it repeatedly in disbelief, clearly in denial about the idea. No, the rest of us feel the exact same way. It sounds like a lie..
"..."
However, much to our growing concern, Sensei didn't answer right away. He looked away from us, into a random corner of the room. His expression was discomfited..
"Answer me, Azazel! Tell me the truth!"
Akeno-san raised her voice. She never got along with Sensei, but now, she seemed downright fed up with him. I was only becoming more worried.
Sensei then let out a sigh heavier than life itself.
"...It's true. Ise's lifespan was…drastically reduced by the effects of the Juggernaut drive."
"How much?"
Akeno-san asked right away, making Sensei's expression appear even more guilty.
"...It would be better if you didn't know."
"How much, Azazel?!"
Akeno-san's demanding voice was loud in a quiet room like this. I felt like I could hear my heartbeat thumping in my head.
Sensei finally said it after a pause.
"...A good majority of it. If I had to put a number on it, I'd say about 99% of it."
–My brain stopped.
…..99% of it…? But that's almost all of it…. That…. That can't be true.
"You're lying.."
Akeno-san said it in a smaller tone. From the sound of it, the shock is starting to set in for her.
"...I'm sorry, Akeno. I wish I was."
Akeno-san went quiet and her eyes looked lifeless, inadvertently inviting everyone else to voice their shock.
"It can't be… Ise-kun's lifespan is…"
"But if it's a majority of it…. Then that means Ise only has… How much time does he have left?"
That's the other pressing question that Xenovia asked this time. Well, if it's 99%, then that means it has to be….
"...A little over a century, approximately.."
Sensei answered.
–Once again, my thought process came to a standstill, and along with it, my heart froze over.
…..It was obvious that it would be that much, considering his estimate…. But after hearing it out loud….. it's unbelievable. No matter what, I just didn't want to believe it. It's too little….
Xenovia went pale while Irina covered her face and started to cry.
"It can't be…"
"No.. No… Ise-kun…"
100 years… Ise-kun only has that much time left… Not even a fraction of a Devil's lifespan… It'd be more accurate to say that it's closer to the lifespan of a regular human being…. How can this be…
Whilst we were in shock, Buchou finally chimed in.
"B-But, ever since the incident, Ise has been receiving regular Senjutsu treatments from Koneko..! His lifespan has been recovering, slowly but surely. With her help, Ise might be able to return his lifespan to normal at some point."
For a moment, the fog in my head lifted. It felt like everyone started to gain a sense of hope from Buchou's statement.
"R-Really? Is that true?"
Irina asked Sensei directly, which he answered hesitantly.
"Yeah, it's true, but…. Ise hasn't had a session since he left for Grigori a couple months ago, so he's a bit "behind" on his treatment, you could say… And with Koneko in the state that she's in right now, it'll be on hold for a short while."
S…So he's been receiving treatment from Koneko-chan..! And if Koneko-chan continues to treat him, he might be alright after all! Thank goodness… Even though I'm still worried, knowing that there was something being done made me somewhat relieved. I think it was the same for everyone else since they started sighing and saying things like "I'm so glad.."
Suddenly, Akeno-san stood up and started to walk towards the exit.
"Where are you going, Akeno?"
"I'm going to provide Koneko-chan with some herbs and remedies. If I can accelerate her recovery, then that's all the better for Ise-kun's sake as well."
That's what Akeno-san responded with. Sensei went in front of her to stop her from leaving.
"Hey, hey, wait. Slow down, Akeno. Calm down and think. If you go over there and suddenly start trying to nurture her back to health, she might get suspicious. And if it slips out that you're doing it because you want her to get back to treating Ise as soon as possible, that might stress her out even more and worsen her condition. I understand how you feel, but doing this could have adverse effects on her health."
But Akeno-san replied to Sensei with a razor sharp tone.
"Shut up, and don't tell me what to do, ever. Don't ever think to give me advice again, ever, on anything. I won't listen to a word you have to say anymore. All this time, Ise-kun has been quietly suffering with this burden and you didn't even think to tell us anything? Who else besides you knew? Was it just the three of you?"
"Y-Yes.. That's right... Just us three."
Akeno-san paused for a second before asking.
"...And did Ravel-chan know?"
She asked that question out of the blue without even turning around to look at Ravel. I saw Ravel making a guilty face too and she fidgeted with her fingers.
"I didn't know….until Ise-sama told me.."
I thought I heard Akeno-san scoff and whisper something under her breath.
"...Of course he told you himself…"
But then, she went back to glaring at Sensei.
"You don't understand how I feel. You never did. You don't understand how any of us feel, not even one bit, so don't pretend to. Now, get out of my way."
Sensei went quiet and had a guilty face. Maybe it's because he's committed to taking responsibility for Akeno-san as Barakiel-san's close friend, but her words seemed to have cut deep for him especially.
But just as Akeno-san was about to leave, we heard a shaky voice from beside us.
"...Ise…san…"
When I turned to look, I saw Asia-chan wearing a hollow expression of despair that I'd never seen before, and a fountain of tears were streaming down from her eyes.
"...….It's all….my fault…"
Buchou hugged Asia-chan tightly without hesitation.
"...Rias-oneesama….Because of me, Ise-san is…."
"No, Asia! You're wrong! It's not your fault! Please don't say that! It's not because of you! You didn't do anything wrong!"
Buchou became emotional and comforted Asia-chan. She's…blaming herself for what happened to Ise-kun. Sensei sighed deeply and massaged his eyebrows exhaustedly.
"...This is why it was kept a secret.."
Xenovia also rubbed Asia-chan's back softly while she was in Buchou's embrace. She and Irina provided their own comforting words.
"T-There, there, Asia… It's okay. Buchou is right. You're not to blame. The only one to blame was that Shalba bastard… But he's gone now, so you don't have to worry anymore."
"T-That's right, Asia-san! Nobody is to blame for what happened! The only ones to blame are the evil people who did evil things to you and Ise-kun! B-Besides, Ise-kun's lifespan can still be recovered!"
"That's right! It's just like Irina said! Once Koneko-chan is recovered, she can get back to giving Ise his treatments! And he'll have his lifespan back to normal in no time! Right, sensei?"
Xenovia asked Sensei for affirmation. He seemed hesitant to answer, but he nodded his head.
"...Yeah. I won't lie and say that it'll be back to regular levels "in no time at all," but I can definitely say that it won't take forever to do it. In the best case scenario, it'll only take a few…years…"
I think I might've been the only one who noticed it, but Sensei had a tiny pause there at the end.
That's what I thought, but as everyone comforted Asia-chan, I then noticed Akeno-san whispering to Azazel in the background.
"How much has he recovered up to this point? Do you know..?"
"...It's probably somewhere around half a century…"
No one else heard it besides Akeno-san and I… Half a century… It's been around 4 months since the incident with Diodora… And Koneko-chan has been able to recover roughly 50 years of lifespan in that time… If you do the math…. It'll take more than a few years to recover all of it… That could take a few decades… Unless Koneko-chan becomes more proficient in her use of Senjutsu or discovers a new technique, recovering the other 9,000 years of his lifespan… It will take a while, there's no doubt about it. But even so, taking a while to recover all those lost years is still preferable to not being able to recover them at all, I suppose…
Akeno-san must've come to the same conclusion since she finally backed off from where Sensei was. Although, her expression still didn't lighten up until she reached Asia-chan and knelt down in front of her.
"Now, now, Asia-chan… It's okay. Everything is going to be alright. Don't worry. Ise-kun is going to be okay."
Akeno-san gently reassured Asia-chan along with everyone else. Le Fay Pendragon awkwardly stood up and addressed her companions.
"Um… Maybe it's best that we give them some privacy. Kuroka, Ophis. We should go."
"Very well."
"Okaaaay~"
With her suggestion, Le Fay and her comrades left the VIP room, leaving only us members of the ORC. Sensei eventually did the same. What surprised me, even though it shouldn't have, was when Ravel quietly exited the room as well..
Part 3
As I laid in bed, thinking to myself about, quite frankly, way too many subjects, I sighed.
"Maaan, how the hell am I supposed to go to Olympus now? Do I just leave those three alone, unsupervised in my own house? Even Azazel has to know how bad of an idea that sounds… But it's not like I can just refuse an invite to Olympus of all places! Dammit… Why couldn't these guys have shown up a week, or at least, two days later..? What bad timing… I really am plagued by misfortune.."
I rubbed my eyes a bunch, thinking of what I should or could do about any of this, but as I thought, there's far too many things jumbled around in my head… Damn, I'm screwed.
Just then, while I was absorbed in my own thoughts, a magic circle appeared in the middle of my room.
Shiin!
"What the..?"
That crest…I think I've seen it somewhere before. It has one of the runes of the Devil-king contained within it. If I recall, that rune is the mark that belongs to…
"Uh… Leviathan?"
When I said that, the person in front of me took the form of a…magical girl holding a little wand.
"Yahallo~! MagiGirl Levia-tan has arrived! Kyun!"
….
Just like she said… It was Serafall Leviathan.
"...Oh, hey."
That was my reply. To be honest, I had no other way to respond. I don't know if I should be shocked or happy or what. And considering the amount of weirdos I've dealt with in this week alone, I'm hardly even fazed.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeh?! What kind of a meek response is that?! Is that how you react to meeting the Underworld's number one, most favorite Magical Girl?! Aren't you excited to see Levia-tan?!"
"Huh? Oh, uh… Yeah, it's great to see you, Serafall-sama."
"Mooou! That's nowhere near enough enthusiasm! Aren't you the least bit happy to see your friend, Ise-kun?"
Serafall-sama asked with a sad, pouty face. Since she's a Maou, I often forget how cute she really is.
But she called me her friend… Just like the last time we spoke, she really considers me a friend..? Out of all people, this cute Maou thought it was alright for someone like me...
("But things like: 'for someone like me..' I don't want to hear you say those things.")
I was suddenly reminded of her words from before with her appearance.
Heh… Yeah, I had almost forgotten.
"Haha, okay, sorry…"
I put my inner qualms aside and smiled.
"Actually, I'm glad to see you, Serafall-sama. I'm always happy whenever my precious comrades visit me."
It's okay for me to accept this, right? Even if it isn't, I still want to. I've never been the type to deny a friendship anyway.
Even though I answered positively, Serafall-sama got up in my face and eyed me suspiciously?
"Uhh? W-Was that too much after all..?"
"Hmm.."
She backed off, but she still kind of spoke to me in a tone that suggested authority.
"Listen well, Ise-kun. You have a special power that not many possess. It's a Devil's speciality to charm others, but what you have is beyond that. It's dangerous. That being said, don't go making that face when Sona-tan is around, understand? She might not seem like it, but she has a particular weakness towards fellows who have an earnest smile. It's indicative of an honest soul. If there's anything she hates right after stupid people, it's liars. And honesty is the exact opposite of that. It'll only become more dangerous to her the more knowledge that you gain, so be mindful of that, okay?"
"Eh… I'm stupid and a liar so what does that make me?"
"Oh, hush! Ise-kun is no such thing so stop it! What did I tell you about talking to yourself like that? Do you need another scolding from onee-chan?"
"Uh, n-no, sorry…"
"That's what I thought! Hmph!"
Serafall-sama folded her arms and huffed like a child. Aha, geez. She really is cuter than what her position or her age suggests. Honestly, I hardly even know what she's talking about though..
"I'm not 100% sure what you mean, but I guess I'll try to be mindful… I wouldn't have imagined that Sona-kaichou had a "weakness" like that… Since you're her older sister, I'm assuming that you're aware of all her weaknesses but share none of them, huh?"
I tried making that joke, but for some reason, Serafall-sama mumbled something while fiddling with the heart on the tip of her mini-wand that she was carrying.
"...Well, I never said that.."
"Huh?"
"Alright! Now, let's go! You and I have much to discuss, oh great "[Immortal Dragon of Aegis!]"
Out of nowhere, Serafall-sama marched forward as if leading the charge to some place.
"Uh.. Where are we going?"
"Hm? Well, you have a VIP room, don't you? Or at least somewhere else that we can discuss private business matters, no? Since it's still early in the day, I thought we might as well get it out of the way. Now, let's go!"
(–?!)
I panicked and stepped in front of my double bedroom doors to stop Serafall-sama.
"Ah! Ah, ah! Actually, uh..! W-We can just discuss all of that here, can't we! No point in going to another room on the other side of the manor, right? Ehehe.."
I laughed, but on the inside, I was nervous as hell.
I can't let her leave this room! I was lucky enough that she teleported directly to my room, but if she leaves..!? What if she ends up running into one of Vali's team members, or even worse, Ophis herself!? That would be the absolute worst case scenario! Her and the other leaders don't even know that she's here yet! Serafall-sama might be a lighthearted person, but she still takes her job very seriously! She would undoubtedly report it to the others! In order to avoid that possibility, I need to keep her in this room at all costs!
"But this is about official business, Ise-kun. Discussing it in your room would be a little inappropriate, don't you think? I might've teleported here, but that was just for the flashy entrance, you know? Isn't it a better idea to talk about this in an environment more suited towards this type of discussion?"
"Uh! T-That may be so..! But, uh..! The truth is..!"
Damn it! I can't think of any excuses! Come on, brain! Help me out here!
"The truth is–! I just want to stay here in my room because..! Because Serafall-sama is my precious friend! Yeah, I value my friends above all else, even my own duty! So, that's why, no matter the context of your visit, at the end of the day, nothing will ever change how I think of Serafall-sama! So, for that reason, I believe..! No, I'd rather talk with you in an environment more suited for intimate relationships instead!"
….
Think of something reasonable, at least, you stupid fucking brain!
And "intimate relationships?!" What the hell kind of phrasing is that?! When in the history of mankind has anyone ever referred to a friendship they shared with another person as an "intimate relationship?!" Are you stupid, o' brain of mine?!
"Uh..! What I meant by that was..!"
I tried to explain it in a shaky voice to the straight-faced Serafall-sama, but before I could, I was interrupted by the wand she playfully waved in my face.
"Iyaaan~ Ise-kun! If you wanted to speak with just the two of us so badly, then all you had to do was ask, you know! It's a private matter anyway so it's fine with me~ –Ah! But no funny business, okay? I understand that Ise-kun is still a growing boy with a variety of interests that he has been very vocal about before, but onee-san is an adult woman! Any more than hugs and kisses would be inappropriate! Actually, anything more than hugs is strictly prohibited! Maybe lap pillows if you get a headache, but that's all! Groping and poking are off-limits, understand! Skirt flips too! If the natural forces of wind cause any accidents, then that's okay, but onee-chan won't forgive you if it's on purpose, okay!"
"...okay."
There was way too much for me to process there so I just agreed without resistance. Serafall-sama appeared satisfied with that and nodded her head proudly.
"Okay then! Ise-kun is a good boy, so I trust you! In that case, let's just talk here as friends!"
Well, I'm glad that I was able to keep her from leaving the room, at least. Now I don't need to worry about her encountering anyone she shouldn't. Come to think of it, shouldn't she be able to sense Ophis and the other's presence here..? If she can't, then that must mean they're concealing them. Knowing Azazel, he probably asked them to do so…
"Alright, where should we sit? Ah, are these sofas okay?"
She pointed towards the sofas near the flat-screen in my room. I shrugged since I was only half-paying attention.
"Uh, yeah. The sofas or the bed are both fine. I don't mind."
Again, Serafall-sama teased me with her wand, this time bonking me lightly on the head with it while squirming around like some embarrassed school girl.
"Kyaa~! Ise-kun, so bold~ But I'm sorry, the answer is still, absolutely, no! You might be younger than me, but Ise-kun and I are still man and woman at the end of the day, so it's too risky! Worst case scenario, we could even get caught up in the flow of things and do something we might regret!"
"...okay."
I wasn't even thinking about that… What sort of flow would we even get caught up in anyway? Aren't we just discussing business? Isn't it something important? How the heck would the conversation end up with that result?
Anyway, we agreed on the sofas and sat down across from each other. I didn't have any hot tea to offer her so I just gave her a sweet tea drink from the mini-fridge I had here in my room.
"Um, here you go. I'm sorry I don't have anything more sophisticated to offer.."
"No, no, don't worry. Stuff like this is alright from time to time as well. Ah, but be careful not to drink too many sugary drinks in your free time, Ise-kun! Even if you are a Devil, it could be bad for your health!"
"Right… Um, anyway, what was it that you wanted to discuss?"
Serafall-sama surprisingly took a sip from her drink before starting.
"Well, let me begin by saying this: Ahem. I commend you, Hyoudou Ise-kun. You've been doing a lot of good work regarding the subject of relations with other factions. As the main ambassador of Foreign Affairs to Devil-kind, I give you my praise. You've done well to assuage some of the concern raised by your achievements, as well as your statements at the Rating Games."
Oh! Without warning, I was suddenly given some unexpected praise by Serafall-sama! Wow, what an honour! I better respond appropriately.
"Oh, uh..! T-Thank you, Serafall-sama! I'm grateful for your praise! It's an honour to be commended by you! Um, I assumed as much before, but it seems like my actions during the Rating Game did cause some tensions in Devil society after all..?"
Serafall-sama took another sip and nodded.
"Yes, indeed. To be honest with you, Ise-kun, most of the higher-ups never really liked you in the first place. After all, people like you, a Reincarnated Devil, and Sairaorg Bael, a Devil born without a special trait or innate talent, you two are considered the lowest level of the hierarchy. But even he is at least a pure-blooded Devil from a vital family. Your profile and your reputation amongst the lower class alone are enough to make them detest you, but on top of that, you're a Reincarnated Devil that broke the marriage arrangement between two very important pure-blooded Devil families. And now, during the Rating Game, you made a plethora of bold declarations and became a symbol of inspiration to all Low-Class citizens and Reincarnated Devils alike. In every way, you are their worst nightmare."
"Haha!"
For some reason, I laughed out loud when Serafall-sama described me that way. I'd be lying if I said that wasn't the type of reaction I was looking for from those assholes..
"Ahem. Excuse me, please continue."
"No problem. Honestly, I had somewhat of the same reaction. If those people who made fun of Sona-tan's dream start shaking in their boots because some "lowly, former-human trash" keeps collecting fame and accolades like trading cards, then that makes me happy. Serves them right for how they mocked my precious So-chan!"
Ahaha, this girl really does love her sister to bits. Are all Devil-kings just natural born siscons? Serafall-sama cleared her throat and continued.
"Anyway, that's not the point. Like you said, what you did in the Rating Game, as well as accomplishing the unbelievable feat of becoming the very first "God-Slaying Longinus in history," made you a real pariah in the Underworld, let alone the rest of the world. Well, at least to those at the top, I mean. So yes, as per your assumption, you've raised tensions quite a bit. But in acknowledging that, there's also something to be said about your efforts in improving foreign relations, just like I mentioned. And that itself is something that even the higher-ups can't ignore. It's kind of funny when you think about it. On one hand, you're one of the biggest reasons the Three-powers alliance has had trouble building relationships with other pantheons recently, and on the other hand, you're basically the only reason we keep forming new alliances in the first place! What a paradox, huh!"
Yeah, I'm sorry about that… But hey, at least she's acknowledging my efforts? I mean, by what she's saying, it seems like even some of the higher-ups are beginning to recognise my achievements. Whether that's out of fearful compliance or genuine respect, who knows. Maybe it's both.
"Serafall-sama. By new alliances, do you mean..?"
When I alluded to the point, Serafall-sama made a face that suggested that she just realised what she was talking about.
"Oh, that's right! I ran off track and almost forgot what the main thing that I wanted to say was! Whoopsie~! Sorry, Ise-kun! Please forgive onee-chan for her absent-mindedness!"
She (cutely) bonked her own head with her wand and stuck her tongue out playfully. Seriously, this much cuteness is dangerous for a Maou. It's not even funny anymore.
Serafall-sama then composed herself and appeared to take on a more professional attitude, causing me to fix my own posture unconsciously.
"Let me say this to you, my friend. Ahem. –Congratulations, Hyoudou Ise-kun! I've finalised my talks with the Celtic gods and we've officially established an alliance agreement with them! The Three-powers and the Celtic pantheon are officially allies! Ah, and the same thing goes for the East-Yokai Faction! Nine tails-chan and her fellow representatives have also filed their agreements, as of last week! With this, the Three-powers have formally established alliances with the Norse Pantheon, the Celtic Pantheon, and the East-Yokai Faction! Congrats, and thank you for your hard work!"
Serafall-sama dropped some amazing news to me, and on top of that, she even bowed her head Japanese-style to thank me!
"W-Whoa, seriously!? W-Wait, first, please lift your head, Serafall-sama! I mean, t-thank you for your hard work as well!"
My reaction was all over the place. Call it a cultural instinct, but I also reciprocated the bow and thanked Serafall-sama for her efforts in turn.
"B-But what amazing news! The alliance talks between our sides really took, huh? So my efforts actually paid off after all!"
"That's right, Ise-kun! As of today, the "Three-powers" alliance has officially expanded to "Six-powers" total! And not only that, but I even received word this morning that one of the godly representatives from the Shinto Faction have been considering arranging a "friendly" meeting with our side to discuss a possible relationship in the future! Apparently, the sudden announcement of alliance with the Celts has convinced someone over there that maybe it might be a good idea to reconsider their apprehensions towards us. I guess word travels super, duper fast in the world of gods, huh? Azazel-chan seems to think that it's because Lugus-chan is a loudmouth who probably sent his people running around to let everyone know of the good news. Either way, it's because of this exact news that I came to visit you today! We are now allied with more factions than we could have ever imagined previously, and it's all thanks to you! Onee-chan is suu~uper proud of you! You should be proud too! You've done an amazing thing!"
"Thank you, onee-cha– I MEAN, Serafall-sama! I am proud! I've been seriously worried ever since I made tensions rise for the allied powers. I'm glad to know that my efforts haven't gone to waste! And the fact that even the gods from my homeland are considering talking with us, I'm beyond delighted! But, uh… I-If you don't mind me asking... Um, do you happen to know which god in particular was interested in us? I-It's okay if you can't tell me though.."
I twiddled my fingers shyly, wondering if I was overstepping any boundaries by asking, but Serafall-sama was pretty casual about it.
"Oh, please! Without Ise-kun's help, I'm not sure a single one of these alliances would've even happened! Of course you have the right to know just as much as I do! You're practically an unofficial team member of [MagiGirl Levia-tan's Foreign Relations squadron!] It's just uh… Well, truth be told, as ashamed as I am to say it, I'm not as great at remembering the Japanese gods as Sona-tan or Rias-chan are, hehe… So, forgive me if I mess up the names, okay? Um, but anyway… If I recall, from what Azazel-chan said, the kami-sama that visited him was actually a servant god to another higher power. Actually, I think they're all subservient to the same goddess..? So technically speaking, it was actually two gods that were interested in us, if you count the one who was acting as the messenger. Ugh, what was the name…. Um, I think it was…E… Ebi…chan?"
Serafall-sama seemed to struggle with the name a bit. So it was Azazel who met them?
Ebi-chan..? Who the heck could that be…
–Wait a minute..
"Serafall-sama… W…Where did Azazel meet this god?"
"Hm? Oh, that I remember! After Azazel-chan called me out of nowhere yesterday and let me know about Lugus-chan agreeing to finalise the alliance treaty as soon as possible, he told me that since he was done on his end, he was going to take a breather. According to Sirzechs-chan, Azazel-chan usually goes fishing whenever he wants to "de-stress." I don't know what it was that had him so tense though. He wouldn't tell us anything about it."
"A-Ah, yeah… I wonder what that was about…"
"Sorry, where was I? Oh, right. Like I said, Azazel-chan decided to go fishing somewhere out in the bays of Japan. And it was there, late at night, that he encountered a god solo. The god said he came to speak with him since he noticed Azazel-chan fishing and thought it was a good opportunity. Apparently, he's a god that specialises in…fishing? Or, was it that he specialised in blessing fishermen..? Uuu, I can't remember… This is why I have to use nicknames, otherwise, I'll forget the names of too many gods!"
"And here I thought it was just because you were a colorful magical girl.."
"That too!"
A minister of foreign relations who has trouble remembering the names of gods. What an ironic dilemma.
But if what Serafall-sama says is correct, and Azazel met a god while fishing… A Japanese god who blesses fishermen… T-That would be…
"...E….Ebisu?"
"That's it! That's the name! Way to go, Ise-kun! As expected of a Japanese citizen! I knew "Ebi-chan" was correct after all!"
(–?!)
Serafall-sama praised me like a teacher would to a student, but I was just sitting there in shock.
Ebisu?! The Japanese god of luck who brings prosperity and safety to fishermen!? That guy just casually walked up beside Azazel, sat down to fish with him, and started a conversation about how his boss is interested in taaaalking?! Seriously?! Did he just find Azazel out there by chance?! What luck! I mean, I guess he is a god of luck…
Anyway, that's insane! Ebisu-sama himself talked with Azazel about those things! What a pleasant surprise! I feel like I keep getting hit with curveball after curveball every day now! My life is entirely too eventful! Speaking of which, there's another even more important detail in there that Serafall-sama mentioned.
"Wait, back up, Serafall-sama! As amazing as that is, earlier you mentioned something else. Something about him acting as a messenger and that guy's "boss" being interested too. You said it was a goddess..?"
"That's right! Although, I don't remember her name either… What I do remember is that she's a big-time goddess who rules over the rest of them, and her servant said she also mentioned you by name... –Ah, no, wait! Now I remember! Terasu-chan! That's the name I came up with! From what I recall, "Terasu" means to "illuminate" or "shine" in the darkness! She must've been a sun goddess."
.
.
.
.
.
"Ise-kun?"
"Huh?"
–My brain reactivated after a jolt.
"Are you okay?"
"Oh, yeah… Sorry, I feel like I just blacked out for a second there."
"Mou, Ise-kun! You see? This is why you shouldn't drink so many sugary beverages!"
"Right, sorry. No, wait.."
After my systems rebooted, the initial shock that caused me to go into shutdown hit me.
"EEEEEEEEEEHHH?!"
"Ouchie, Ise-kun! That was terribly loud, don't you think?"
Serafall-sama covered her ears to protect herself from the volume of my shouting. But I couldn't help it because the shock was too great.
"A-A-A-A! AMATERATSU-SAMAAA..!? AMATERATSU-SAMA IS INTERESTED IN PEACE TALKS, A-A-AND SHE MENTIONED ME BY NAAAAAAAAME?!"
I heard Ddraig's voice in my head.
[What an awful shout. A rude awakening, I must say. Is it really that shocking, partner?]
Are you kidding, Ddraig?! This is Amateratsu-sama we're talking about here! She's the single most important deity in Shinto mythology! The mythology of my homeland! She's basically like the main goddess of my people! Well, my family and I are primarily Buddhist, but that's not the point! This is an especially amazing thing, you know!
[I see. Well, even so, you shouldn't be surprised. Your reputation isn't anything to scoff at, remember? The God-slayer who builds alliances with opposing factions after declaring himself to be the Arbiter of the gods of the world? That probably overshadowed the reputation of a few gods themselves.]
I guess that's true, but… Still, it's astonishing to think that Amateratsu-sama mentioned me by name! I would've never imagined that. But why did she mention me anyway?
"Hey, Serafall-sama, did Azazel say why Amateratsu-sama even mentioned me in the first place?"
"Uh, I think he did. From what I remember, the reason that you were mentioned in conversation was because Ebi-chan said that his boss was "very fond of the Sekiryuutei's namesake." But by that, I think she meant that you are the namesake."
"My namesake..? Or rather, I'm the namesake? What could that possibly mean?"
Just as I was wondering about it, an imaginary light bulb popped up over my head. I took out my smartphone and web-searched something.
"Ise-kun?"
Serafall-sama was confused by my action, but I was too concerned with the result of my search prompt: [Shrines dedicated to Amateratsu]
The result was…
"... The Grand shrine of Ise…"
It was the single most important Shinto shrine complex in all of Japan, located in the Mie Prefecture. Kōtai Jingū, otherwise known as [Ise Jingū] or Naikū and Gekū…
D…Does she think that I was named after her shrine..?
I-I mean, I was named because of a shrine, since my father prayed "honestly" at a shrine, for the safe delivery of my birth. But, uh… I wasn't named that because of her shrine…
….Actually, you know what, I think it's better if we just leave that alone for now instead. I'm not one to lie about something like that, but it's not technically my fault if a misunderstanding like that occurs… And if it gets me on Amateratsu-sama's good side, then I'm all for it.
I cleared my throat and made an attempt to get the conversation back on track.
"Sorry, Serafall-sama. It's nothing. Let's just uh, get back to the discussion, shall we?"
"Right. Well, like I was saying: even the Shinto Faction has taken us into consideration now, mainly thanks to you. To be completely honest, I'm sort of jealous of you, Ise-kun. Maybe it's because of your infectious kindness, but you seem to have this impressive ability when it comes to making friends. If I had an ability like that, it would reflect positively on us Yondai-Maou and maybe allow even more progress to be made towards peace… Ah, but don't get me wrong! It's totally great that Ise-kun has that ability! Either way, it's a good thing! You're still the pride of our race, even if others might not acknowledge it! And even if everyone else doesn't acknowledge it, I consider you a part of my pride too! Onee-chan is very proud, so don't take it the wrong way, okay?"
Serafall-sama seemed somewhat ashamed of admitting to her jealousy and tried to walk it back a bit. I shook my head.
"No, don't worry, Serafall-sama. I didn't take it any sort of way. I know you mean well. Besides, your praise is more than enough for someone like me."
Out of habit, that old phrase slipped out. Serafall-sama looked at me like a mother would to her child when she wants them to admit to some wrongdoing.
"Ise~kun?"
"Ah, my bad. I didn't mean it like that. Old habits, ya know. I'm just happy with your praise, that's all I meant to say."
Serafall-sama beamed with a smile bright enough to rival Asia's own. Damn, uh… I'm starting to feel weird feelings now. Just like I thought, that level of cuteness is too dangerous for a Devil-king to have.. She's bound to have made some other Devil officials fall for her before, right? I hope my face isn't red…
"Good! I'm glad to hear that! Okay, well, that basically concludes the business part of the discussion! Unless you have any questions for me?"
"Oh! Uh… Well, in terms of questions, I guess I only have one. Aside from the Shinto gods, is there anybody else who was interested in having talks? From what Azazel told me, he's sent out a few open invitations for discussion to other Pantheons, but most of them were ignored.."
"Mm, yes. That's true, unfortunately. Azazel-chan and I sent multiple requests out to a select number of different factions, but the grand majority of them went unanswered. We were especially hoping that the Egyptian Faction might respond positively, but they were radio silent. According to our Intel, they're still split on their opinions of you specifically, so they're maintaining a neutral stance. Same goes for the Hindu Faction. Funnily enough, the one we sent to the Greek Pantheon was also ignored. From what I've heard, you and Azazel-chan already established a positive relationship with them, right? I wonder why they did that."
"Ah, that… Yeah, well, uh… The Greeks can be pretty old fashioned, so maybe they don't feel like using those methods? Or maybe they just don't see a point in those kinds of formalities since they're already on good terms with us? Who can say… I think it'll be okay though. Actually, to tell you the truth, uh… I was just personally invited over to Olympus recently. I'll actually be heading over there tomorrow, believe it or not… So if anything, I could just ask them directly, no..?"
I said it with kind of an awkward laugh, but Serafall-sama suddenly got excited.
"Oh! Oh, oh, oh! This is great news, Ise-kun! If that's the case, then that means you have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of being able to visit the legendary Mount Olympus and sue for an alliance treaty yourself, in person! This is fantastic news! The alliance with the Greeks is basically guaranteed with this! Lucky~!"
I let out another awkward laugh.
"Ehehe… Do you really believe in me that much?"
"Absolutely! I don't have a shred of doubt! No, rather, I have full confidence that you'll get it done! If it's Ise-kun, I know you'll be able to do it! That's why, I'm overjoyed! I already want to celebrate! Ah, maybe I can convince Sirzechs-chan to throw you a party in Maou territory? Mmm, Grayfia-chan might scold me about compromising the security though.."
I couldn't help being amused by Serafall-sama's lighthearted attitude. Well, I'm glad that she believes in me at least. To be honest, I already assumed that I had the Greek alliance in the bag, but hearing it from Serafall-sama just makes me all the more confident. I can definitely do this.
"Well, I'm grateful for your vote of confidence, Serafall-sama. It's reassuring to hear that you believe in me, whether as a Maou or a friend…. So uh, on that note, any tips for me? You know, like persuasion techniques or something? Anything that might make it easier for me to convince everyone to join the alliance?"
"Oh? Well, in regards to that, I don't really think Ise-kun needs any persuasion techniques of any kind. I think just being your regular self will be enough. It's worked wonders up until now, hasn't it? But I suppose I could still give you some advice from my own personal experience!"
–From there, Serafall-sama did me the personal courtesy of giving me step-by-step advice on how to improve and maintain professional relationships of every kind, as well as some tips on how to keep a good appearance amongst other top brass individuals. Despite how she looks and acts, Serafall-sama has a lot of wisdom to offer. And like I said before, she clearly takes her job very seriously. I'm glad to call someone like her my friend, for this and many other reasons.
Whilst Serafall-sama and I were in the middle of our little session, someone ended up unexpectedly entering my room.
"Ise? Is everything alright? I heard shouting earlier, but I wasn't sure if that was you. Some of it sounded like a woman's voice.."
"Hai, hai, Levia-tan desu~!"
It was Rias who walked in on us. Needless to say, seeing Serafall-sama gave her pause.
"S-Sera..! I mean, Leviathan-sama!?"
Rias panicked and quickly shut the door behind her. Ah, she must've also come to the same conclusion I did earlier and freaked out at the idea of Serafall-sama running into Ophis.
"W-What brings you here, ma'am?"
"Oh, please, Rias-chan! You know you can just call me "onee-chan" when nobody is around!"
"R-Right, um.. We weren't expecting you today… Were we, Ise..?"
Rias looked over at me, expecting me to answer. Does she think that I invited Serafall-sama here and just didn't tell her? Well, considering the stuff I've been keeping to myself lately, I guess I can't blame her for that assumption…
"Uh, yeah, definitely not. She surprised me when she showed up here, but she came for a good reason."
"I-I see… And um, what reason might that be, if you don't mind me asking?"
I wondered if this was something I should share with her. I mean, it's not like it's a secret, per say. And it'll be pretty big news very soon from now… Hmm…
Ultimately though, I decided to leave it up to Serafall-sama. By exchanging a glance with her, I wordlessly indicated that she should answer the question.
"Oh, it's nothing much. It's just some official business matters. Quite boring, if you ask me. But don't worry! Rias-chan and the others will be informed on it soon!"
Rias seemed a little surprised that Serafall-sama didn't reveal any details, and I honestly was too. She really does take her job super seriously. I also noticed Rias looking at me from the corner of my eye, but I didn't meet her gaze. I mean, it was Serafall-sama's decision so it's not like I'm gonna question it…
"Oh.. Is that so? I understand… Well then, I'm sorry for interrupting. Forgive my intrusion. Please, continue. I'll take my leave.."
Rias said it with a respectful bow and turned to walk out, but Serafall-sama stopped her.
"Actually, Rias-chan, that's alright. Ise-kun and I have already concluded our discussion so there's no need. I also have some more business to attend to, so I was about to take my leave as well."
Rias appeared to understand what Serafall-sama said, but for some reason, she still gave her another farewell.
"I see. Well, in that case, goodbye for now. Please have a safe trip. Give Sona my regards if you happen to see her again soon."
With that, Rias exited the room, leaving Serafall-sama and I alone again. We both exchanged looks of confusion, but I just shrugged, not knowing what to say. For a moment, I thought I saw Serafall-sama make a concerned(?) expression, but she shook it off and stood up.
"Well then, Ise-kun. That'll be all for today. Thank you for your hard work. I'll be taking my leave here."
I stood up and bowed respectfully.
"O-Oh, right! Of course! The same to you, thank you for your hard work! And thank you for coming as well!"
Serafall-sama smiled and started walking back towards the spot where she initially appeared from. But I still had something I wanted to say so I stopped her.
"Wait, Serafall-sama. If you don't mind, I'd like to say something."
"Hm? What is it, Ise-kun?"
After taking a breath, I composed myself to say what I wanted to say, as honestly as I could.
"I'm not sure how to say this…. Up until now, you've done nothing but show your support for me and motivated me when I was struggling. Even when you had no obligation to, you reached out to me and provided me with reassurance… You have no idea how much I appreciate what you've done for me. That's why, please believe me when I say this: I'm more thankful for you than you can possibly imagine. From the very bottom of my heart, thank you, Serafall-sama. There's very few people in the world I'd rather have as a friend… Please, know that."
Just like I said, I stated it from the bottom of my heart, and smiled earnestly.
It's something I've been wanting to say for a while now.. Right now, I have a whole laundry list of people that I want to express these grateful feelings to, and Serafall-sama was one of those people. I'm not sure how I can make it up to her, but I do plan to one day. And it's the same for all of those other people. But for now, I'll just give her my thanks.
"...oh."
"Oh?"
Serafall-sama made a little sound that confused me, but what confused me more was the fact that she was holding her wand in front of her face. The pink heart piece of her mini-wand was covering her face, not allowing me to see what expression she was making. I can still see her ears though. Were they always that reddish color..?
Her voice came out in a small tone.
"...Ise-kun."
"Yes?"
"...Don't make those kinds of faces around Sona-tan, okay..?"
"Um, okay..? You said that once already."
"..I mean it."
"If, uh, if you say so. Sure.. I got it."
"...Dangerous. It's a very dangerous power you have… For her own sake, Levia-tan will depart here…"
"Is that so..? Well, um, thanks for coming, I guess."
"...Yeah."
"Um, Bye-bye?"
"...Bye-bye."
Serafall-sama turned away from me and paused. I expected her to leave just then, but for whatever reason, she didn't. Instead, her demeanor seemed to change, and she spoke again but in a more…complicated tone.
"Ise-kun?"
"Yeah?"
"...How is everything, by the way?"
"Sorry..?"
"I mean, you know… with everyone."
Out of the blue, she decided to ask me a question like that…? Why…?
"...Why do you ask?"
"No particular reason. I'm just curious. I'd hate to hear that things haven't worked themselves out… Have they?"
An uncomfortable silence filled the air between us. Neither of us could see each other's faces. Internally, I think I felt that…maybe that was for the best.
At some point, Serafall-sama peered back over her shoulder. And so, I smiled and answered her question in a regular manner.
"Yep. Don't worry. Everything's back to normal."
I thought that was enough, but Serafall-sama looked away again and started…telling a random story out of nowhere.
"You know, Ise-kun… When Sona-tan and Rias-chan were kids, they had a misunderstanding once… Apparently, during that time, my father and Lord Gremory had a dispute about a certain territory located in Tokyo, which had belonged to a neutral party beforehand. Lord Gremory originally wanted that territory for Rias-chan when she grew up, but my father thought it would be more fitting if Sona-chan was overseeing it, since it was home to a few renowned Japanese medical institutes and schools. Medicine is something the Sitri specialise in after all… As Maou, Sirzechs-chan and I aren't usually meant to be involved in designations of territory, unless it has a hand in the overall political atmosphere of the Underworld… But eventually, our fathers both came to an agreement. As it turns out, Lord Gremory and my father had decided to ask the girls directly for their input, to see which one of them desired the territory more. And if it came down to it, they could have the girls settle it themselves. My father asked Sona-chan, and of course she said she wanted it. When my father asked her what they should do to settle the dispute, Sona-chan naturally asked for a game of chess. Back then, she and Rias-chan were closer to being on equal ground so it seemed like a worthy suggestion to her.… However.."
Serafall-sama paused before continuing.
"...According to Lord Gremory, after Rias-chan was informed of Sona-chan's suggestion, Rias-chan backed down. She told her father to allow Sona-chan to take it instead. Sona-chan and my father were surprised, but my father agreed anyway. Sona-chan, on the other hand, didn't take it so easy… When that happened, she assumed that something was wrong. Rias-chan wasn't the type to back down from a challenge like that, she was very competitive. That's why, in the next coming weeks, when Sona-chan didn't see or hear from Rias-chan for a while, she became worried. Because of what happened, Sona-chan came to the conclusion that Rias-chan was angry with her for her suggestion. The reason being that, although she and Rias-chan often went back and forth in chess, as time passed, Sona-chan had slowly started to overtake her in most of their matches. It was because of this that Sona-chan assumed that Rias-chan was mad with her for choosing chess; Rias-chan must've thought that Sona-chan had only chosen it because she assumed it was an easy win for her. In that way, the challenge could've been interpreted as an insult…. Sona-chan was never an emotional girl, but even then, it was difficult not to see how depressed she was. I just wish I could've done more as her onee-chan, but I was so busy with my work…"
Although Serafall-sama's emotions seemed genuine and the story was heartfelt, I couldn't help but feel my suspicions rising…
"But after some time passed, Rias-chan eventually came back around to see Sona-chan, just as bright as ever. Sona-chan must've been relieved to see her friend again. Because of the conclusions Sona-chan ended up with, she decided to apologise to Rias-chan, hoping that she would forgive her. But according to Sona-chan, Rias-chan was confused. She was never mad at Sona-chan in the first place. She simply thought it made more sense for her to take that territory in Tokyo. When Sona-chan then asked why Rias-chan didn't speak to her for so long, Rias-chan excitedly revealed that she had acquired her own territory after all, one that previously belonged to her father's [Bishop.] Not only that, but she even acquired the first servant of her peerage, that person being Akeno-kun… When Sona-chan explained her misunderstanding, Rias-chan reassured her, telling her that even if she had been mad at her for what had happened, she could never stay mad at her for long. Because no matter what, they were always going to be best friends, and she loved her… When time finally came for Sona-chan to oversee her own territory, she refused, preferring instead to follow Rias-chan to Kuoh… As her onee-chan, I've never been more glad for Sona-chan than I am now…"
Finally, after listening intently, I asked the important question.
"...Why are you telling me this..?"
Serafall-sama said it delicately, but to me, something about it was…off.
"...Even if those two get mad at each other, they still make up with each other in the end. They never hold grudges. They let it all go… Because no matter what, there isn't any amount of bitterness or anger that can overcome the love they have for each other…. Do you understand what I'm saying, Ise-kun?"
"Yeah.."
My suspicions had risen to the top, and as a result, my attitude had changed without me even realising it…
"–And what's any of that got to do with me?"
The moment I asked that, Serafall-sama's posture changed, and the atmosphere around us was clearly different…
"...Take care of yourself, Ise-kun."
"...Yeah, you too."
Just like that, Serafall-sama was gone within a flash, and I was left alone in my room.
(….)
"The hell was that about..?"
Part 4
It was later in the day now. It's been a few hours since Serafall-sama visited me. Our discussion was long and fruitful, but it ended on a weird note….
Putting that aside though, we were luckily able to keep Ophis a secret. It would've been terrible if we were found out on the same exact day we started housing these girls… Speaking of which, I walked around my house a bit to see what everyone was up to. For the most part, everyone was just doing their normal routines, which as of recently includes studying, but I was more interested in what our "guests" were doing. I didn't see them around so I asked Gya-kun, who was sitting on the sofa next to Koneko-chan, who I ignored as instructed.
"Hey, Gasper, where's Merlin and her pet vixen?"
"Um, I think I remember them saying that they were going to try out the indoor pool a few floors down. They looked pretty excited when Buchou told them about it.."
They're playing in the fucking pool… Geez, really letting loose, huh? Guess they took my "make yourselves at home" comment to heart. What are they, children? Well, actually… I guess Le Fay kind of is. Whatever, as long as they aren't causing trouble for anyone. Everyone still needs to study for midterms. Kiba and Akeno-chan have their promotion tests on top of that too. Although, I don't really think they need that much leeway. I can almost guarantee that they'll ace their tests.
"Um, Sempai?"
Just as I was thinking about tests, Gasper asked me.
"Are you really not going to take your promotion test alongside Kiba-senpai and Fukubuchou..? I thought you wanted to become a King so you could establish your harem?"
Oh, he's asking about that old subject. Yeah, due to my constant changing of priorities, I haven't really been thinking about that dream much anymore… I mean, I'd be lying if I said that I don't want a harem at all. Obviously, the idea is still enticing to me. It's just…. I don't know. Lately, it feels like I'm thinking less about starting a harem and more about who would comprise the harem itself..? I definitely don't want it to be just a bunch of random girls. And Ravel would definitely be front and center in it.
Wait, speaking of Ravel… I haven't even talked to her about this, have I? Since it's a subject I've largely forgotten about, I haven't gotten the chance to talk it through with her. What if… What if she's totally against me having any harem whatsoever? Ravel doesn't really seem like the type to think that way. I mean, she does get jealous of other girls sometimes, but she's not the "controlling" type… But it doesn't matter if she is or isn't. If me becoming the Harem King is something that makes her uncomfortable or unhappy, then I….
"Worried about your precious sempai, huh, buddy?"
I ruffled Gasper's hair playfully.
"Well, don't worry. I might've put a pause on that stuff for now, but that's only because I've got bigger priorities to handle. I'm sure I'll come back around to doing Devil activities…at some point. Anyway, just don't think about that for now. I'll be fine either way."
I patted Gasper on the shoulder and turned away. But as I started walking in the opposite direction, Gasper whispered a question to me that he didn't want anyone else to hear. Of course, odds are that Koneko-chan still heard it from beside him.
"..Sempai? Do you still plan on making Asia-senpai and Xenovia-senpai your servants?"
I halted mid-step. For a moment, I didn't know what to answer with, because to be honest, I also didn't know the answer to that question.
(...I don't know anymore…)
….I looked back at him and smiled.
"You let me worry about that, 'kay, buddy?"
I walked away, but I did hear Gasper's response.
"...Yes, sempai.."
–From there, I split off from everyone else and decided to go do something different. Namely, something important I've been meaning to do for the past few days. That is: go and have a talk with my reclusive serpent-queen, "Medusa."
Except before that, I became curious about where Ophis was. Did she actually go join Le Fay and Kuroka at the pool? For some reason, I doubt that. Not being aware of where she is can also be its own concern. I wonder…
"Maybe I should look for her.."
[Partner.]
"Huh? What's up, Ddraig?"
[Are you looking for Ophis?]
"Ah, well, not exactly. I'm just worried since I don't know where she's at. I'd rather know than not know, ya know?"
[It would be wise to look behind you.]
"Behind me?"
I did as Ddraig said and turned around– only to see Ophis standing right behind me!
"Whoa! Ophis!? How long have you been standing there?!"
"I have not been standing here. I have been following you."
"Since when?!"
"Earlier, when you left your room."
That was like 4 hours ago! That means that the moment Serafall-sama left, she started following me!
"So when I came out, you just started following me? Where were you before?"
"I sensed your presence all the way to your room, but I did not enter since I also detected the aura of a Devil-king. So, I waited beside the door until you exited."
"Seriously?! You were just waiting by the door that whole time?! Talk about a close call! But if that's the case, wouldn't Rias have noticed you sitting there?"
"She did not."
Really? Wow, for a mega powerful dragon-god, she really does know how to erase her presence. I guess that's to be expected from the creature born from "nothingness."
"Well, uh… Are you just going to keep following me around?"
"I stated that I would observe you. You agreed. Is this not part of the agreement?"
"Uh, well, no… I mean, I guess it is, but…. You know, I've kinda got something important to do right now so.."
"What is it? Is it training?"
"No, no, it's nothing like that. I, uh, need to talk to somebody. In private, that is. Sort of like how Serafall-sama– er, that Devil-king you sensed earlier, and myself were doing. So if you wouldn't mind…"
"Is it someone I must mask my presence or appearance from?"
"No, it's, ugh…"
I sighed, hoping to level with Ophis a bit, if that was even possible.
"Look, Ophis… This is just something I need to do for…various reasons. It's not really related to my growth or evolution or whatever you wanna see from me. But, if you would just let me go alone for now, I promise you that I'll let you observe me closely for the rest of today without interruption. So please, just let me off the hook for now, okay?"
I practically pleaded with Ophis while putting my hands together. She didn't say anything for a moment, causing me to worry, but eventually she answered just as blankly as usual.
"Okay."
"Thank you so much, Ophis! I really appreciate it! When I come out, I'll treat you to some special snacks that Rossweisse-san brought from Valhalla!"
"Alright."
With that, I eagerly departed from the unnerving gaze of Ophis and ran off towards the elevator. Using the elevator, I went down a few floors, past the floor that houses the indoor pool and lavish bathhouse, down to the floor where the sauna was. Of course, I didn't come down to swim in the pool, bathe, or hit the sauna. Instead of that, I came to the sauna level because there's actually a big luxury jacuzzi out in front of where the sauna room is. And of course, I didn't come to relax in the jacuzzi either, unfortunately. In fact, I couldn't even do that if I wanted to. Why? Well, because there was already someone in it. And that person's body took up almost all of the space inside said jacuzzi…
"Medusa?"
The snake woman lounging against the edge of the jacuzzi, who was resting her chin on her palm like a bored kid in class, turned her head to look at me. Her sharp, violet, serpentine eyes sent a small chill down my spine. Must be just my instincts reminding me that she can turn me into stone at any time. Or wait, didn't she need her mask on for that..? Oh man, I seriously do not know anywhere near enough about my own familiar. Well, now's as good a time as any to start asking questions, I suppose.
"...What do you want?"
Yeesh, she greeted me pretty coldly for a snake lady who likes sitting in a fancy hot tub with the ceiling lights set to the "sunset" color setting. Now that I think about it, is that meant to simulate a heat lamp? If that's why she asked for it, then she's more of a snake lady than I initially thought.
"Aha, is that any way to greet your master?"
I said it in a sort of joking tone, but it sounded pretty awkward. She scowled. Oof, maybe because of how I said it, it might've come off a bit wrong.
"Uh, sorry. That was a joke. I'm not really bothered by it. Although, I would like it if you were a bit nicer to me, honestly…"
I sort of whispered that last part, but for all I know, this lady might also have enhanced hearing. Whether or not she did, what she muttered while turning her head away would've surprised me either way.
"...Well, sorry.."
"Eh?"
I was taken aback by the response, but I quickly regained my composure.
"Oh! Uh, that's okay! Don't worry about it. It's no big deal…"
I approached her cautiously, not wanting to set off her temper. She seems like the naturally bitter or angry type, so I should avoid getting on her bad side. Her squabble with Perseus displayed what she could really do when she was enraged. She was way worse with him than when I fought her, that's for sure.…
"Do you, uh… Do you mind if I sit here?"
I asked her apprehensively while pointing to an edge of the jacuzzi only a couple meters away from her. In all honesty, it's probably a pretty risky spot to pick for sitting. It's not like I'll be within arm's reach, but it's still relatively close to her. Definitely a danger zone, if not a splash zone.
"...Why are you asking me? This is your home, isn't it? It isn't as if I have a say on where you sit. Besides, you're the master here. You give permission, not me…"
"Well, yeah, I know all that… But like I've said before, I don't want to force you to do anything you aren't comfortable with. That's not the kind of master I want to be. And obviously, that includes not invading what you consider your personal space. That's why I'm asking."
"You seemed keen on forcibly summoning me to meet my mother's killer. And you invaded my personal space the moment you entered this floor. From my perspective, it doesn't seem like asking me makes any difference."
Yeeeeeesh! That response was so ice cold, I'm surprised she didn't freeze the entire jacuzzi over! If I didn't know any better, I'd think that she hated me completely. But truth be told, she was this antisocial from the beginning. I guess this is exactly what I signed up for. Plus, she couldn't be in a good mood after her spat with Perseus anyway… Oh well, I can't call myself a proper master if I don't try my best to interact with her despite that. For now, let's actually test the limits of her reclusive nature.
I feigned a sigh and said it defeatedly.
"Haah…. I can leave, if that's what you want. If you want me to go away, just say the word, I won't bother you anymore."
She didn't answer me right away, so I took the test a little further and turned to walk away.
"Alright then… Sorry for the intrusion."
After feigning one more defeated sigh, I took a step forward, only to be stopped by her voice.
"...You can do whatever you want. It doesn't matter to me. It's not like I mind it that much anyway.."
Thank goodness. My theory was correct. She isn't a cruel person after all, but she is severely antisocial. Maybe, slowly but surely, I can crack that hard shell of hers. I guess we'll have to see…
"Oh, okay… In that case, I'll just sit here. Excuse me."
I ended up sitting where I originally pointed to, facing her direction. As expected, she turned her face the other way. This is going to be tough… I'm glad that I specialise in women with unfriendly exteriors at this point…
–Before I said anything though, I found my eyes wandering around this familiar space. Inevitably, my eyes landed on the sauna booth at the edge of the area…
Now that I remember, that's where it all started, isn't it…. The wedge that was driven in the relationship between Rias and myself…. The problem originally began in that sauna, after she tried to seduce me…. There, she yelled at me and ran out of the sauna with tears in her eyes, and I was left there, alone and confused….
But now I know…..the entire reason that even happened…. And now, I….. I….
(...It was so unfair..)
–.
"...Have I made you upset?"
"Huh?"
The voice of Medusa snapped me out of my daze. She asked me an odd question.
"Sorry, what was that?"
"...Are you angry with me?"
"Angry..? No, why would I be angry?"
"...You look angry."
That's what she said.
….Angry..? I'm not angry…. Why would I be…?
….
I'm not angry at all.
"Uh, no, sorry. I'm not angry. I was just lost in thought. Sometimes I make stupid faces when I'm thinking, hehe."
I laughed it off, but Medusa whispered something I didn't hear.
"...You're an awful liar."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Okay..?"
Setting my confusion aside and regaining my bearings, I decided to return to my original objective. Honestly, I'm glad that she asked if I was angry. That tells me that she has somewhat of a conscience. Or at the very least, a minor sense of consideration for others besides herself.
"So..? What do you want?"
Ah, we're back to that question again.
"I just want to talk to you, that's all."
"I can tell…. I'm asking what your motive is behind that."
"My motive..? Do I need some ulterior motive to talk to you?"
"Everyone has one. You must have your own."
Okay, antisocial and distrustful. I suppose those two traits go hand-in-hand, don't they?
"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I don't really have any ulterior motive…. The most that I could say is that I'm curious about you. I want to learn more about you. And if you're asking as to why I would want that, then I don't have an answer beyond "because I want to." That's just how it is."
Medusa scoffed quietly.
"Hmph… Unfortunately for you, "master," there isn't much to ask about…"
"Really..? Somehow, I doubt that's true."
Even now, Medusa refused to meet my gaze. I know it isn't to protect me from petrification. She looked directly at me earlier and nothing happened. Plus, I'm still not even sure she can do that without the mask anyway.
Speaking of which, she has her mask sitting right there next to her. I could probably grab it if I wanted to, but that would involve getting closer to her. I'm not sure she'd take that too kindly. I decided to nut up and ask her instead.
"Hey, uh, you mind if I take a look at your mask?"
"Why?"
"Well, this is only the second time I've seen you with it off. And I'm curious about what it does. I'd like to, ya know, inspect it, if that's okay. Although, I don't know if I'd be able to figure anything out just by looking.."
"Then what's the point of looking at it?"
Guh… I didn't really have an answer to that. Despite my clear naivete, Medusa sighed and flicked her mask, causing it to slide closer to me.
"Whatever. Do what you want with it... It's nothing but a worthless relic of the past anyway…."
Hmm? That was a new tone. She sounded kind of down when she said that.
"Huh. This is a pretty design… Did you make this yourself?"
"–Of course not. Are you stupid?"
Another quick, cold reply. Geez, this is proving to be tough already. That's what I thought, but then Medusa sighed again. Her voice was a lot smaller now.
"...My mother made it for me.."
–! She mentioned her mother! No doubt she's talking about the original Medusa. This is good. Getting her to mention her "mom" is a massive step forward. Come to think of it, she even mentioned her once before when she was talking about Perseus. My intuition tells me that these might be slip-ups.
"Oh! Your mother, huh? You mean Medusa?"
I made the rash call of acknowledging it upfront. That proved to make things even more difficult since now she was glaring daggers at me.
"What did you say?!"
Scratch that, she straight up got in my face and shouted at me.
"I'M Medusa! Me! I am! Understand!?"
"W-Whoa, whoa! Okay, okay! I got it! I'm sorry! My bad, Medusa. I'm sorry, alright?"
After a second of apolgising, Medusa finally seemed to calm down and backed away. She returned to her original spot, but with her back to me now.
"...I'm sorry, Medusa. I didn't mean to offend you."
In response to my apology, she only said..
"...Whatever."
Damn, what an outburst… That marks the second time I've seen her truly angry. I wish I could've appreciated her beautiful face and eyes from up close, if said face wasn't snarling and said eyes weren't glowing intensely. That was scary…
Speaking of eyes, I guess it's time to ask the other question related to this mask..
"...Um, s-so this mask… You called it a "relic?" Is this mask what allows you to use your powers of petrification?"
She scoffed at that, but she wasn't very amused.
"Pfft. Yeah, right. As if I need that stupid thing to do that. If anything, that just holds me back.."
It holds her back? Does she mean to say that this mask is a "limiter?" I mean, she said she doesn't need it to use her powers so…maybe she needs it to be in control of them? But then, why wouldn't I have been petrified the moment we saw each other? Hmm…
"If this thing is so useless, why do you even keep it?"
"...Like I said, it's just a relic.."
She took a second to answer that. Huh, so she's sticking to the "just a relic" narrative, ey? Well, despite how scary she might be, I'm also quite stubborn in contrast. So, let's test that then..
"Oh, is that so..? Alright. In that case then, I guess you wouldn't mind if I just destroyed it now."
In that moment, Medusa rapidly whipped her body around to glare at me, maybe even ready to attack me, but..
"IF YOU DARE, BASTARD–"
But she stopped when she realised that she was face-to-face with the mask that I was holding out towards her.
"–I wouldn't. I would never destroy anything that belongs to you. Especially not something that matters this much to you."
She was frozen there for a second. Her expression seemed to display her disbelief. Seems like my bluff worked on catching her off guard. She's making the same face she made when I protected her from Perseus... Eventually, she turned away and retreated back to her corner again without taking the mask.
"...It doesn't mean anything to me.."
"I don't think that's true..."
"So, what? Who cares what you think..? What do you know?"
"Well… I don't know much, but… If there's anything I do know, it's understanding other people's emotions. And from what I understand, the reason you kept this mask…is because you miss your mother."
She was quiet for a moment, but when she spoke, her tone came out meeker than before.
"...It doesn't matter whether I keep or destroy the mask…. It doesn't change the fact that my mother is gone. That's why it's worthless…"
"I…don't think that's true either."
I went for a bolder approach and quietly inched a bit closer. I then placed the mask on the edge beside me and slowly pushed it towards Medusa.
"I don't think it's wrong for anyone to miss someone they love. And I certainly don't think it's wrong for someone to hold on to something that reminds them of someone they've love. Especially after they've lost them…"
Without turning to face me, one of the snakes in Medusa's hair gently retrieved the mask from behind her and brought it to her directly. Although I couldn't see what kind of expression she was making, I could tell enough about what she was feeling just based on how softly she caressed the mask with her sharp-nailed fingers. Her hands are covered in scales. If snakes had hands, I'd imagine that's what they'd look like…
It was eerily quiet now that Medusa was presumably lost in her own world. Considering this, I decided to restart the conversation myself.
"So… Your mother… Do you mind telling me what she was like?"
"...Why do you care to know?"
"Like I said, I'm curious about you. I want to learn more about you, and that includes learning about your mother. Among other things, obviously… Besides, over time, I've learned that sometimes talking about the things or the people we've lost can…make us feel better in the long run."
She questioned it in a low tone.
"...How can digging up the pain of your own past ever feel good..?"
"Well, it's kind of hard to explain…. Who knows why, but reminiscing about stuff like that can help "ease" the pain. Especially when it involves a person we loved… Maybe it's our heart telling us that we can remember them fondly, instead of torturing ourselves over their loss needlessly?"
I tried my best to deliver the point in a soft voice, as to not agitate her whatsoever. She didn't reply.
"...But of course, I won't force you… You can just stick to talking about whatever makes you comfortable."
As expected, she was quiet, until she eventually sighed and spoke again.
"...My mother was kind, and beautiful…. She never wanted to hurt anyone…. As long as everyone left us alone, she was fine…. She wouldn't hurt anyone, if she could avoid it….. Everyone she did hurt…they tried to hurt us first."
Maybe it was a result of my understanding of the negative bias surrounding the original Medusa, but I felt the need to affirm something to her.
"I believe you."
It gave her pause, but she eventually continued.
"I was….young when I lost my mother… The main thing I remember about my mother, the thing that I could never forget….was her smile. And her hair. She had the most beautiful smile, and the most beautiful hair."
"I believe that too."
Her mother is the original Medusa, that's obvious. But if she's Medusa's progeny, like I assumed, then that means she was likely created in Medusa's image. So from that, I can assume that when she's talking about her mother's hair, she means the "snake-hair" and not the regular type. Naturally, any daughter would find their mother beautiful, even with snakes attached to their head.
No, that's not fair, is it? It's not fair to say that her love existed in spite of her mother's features. I mean, it's not like having snake-hair makes someone any less beautiful. Hell, look at this Medusa. She's gorgeous too, snakes or not. She just loved her mother the way she was…
"For what it's worth, I think your hair is beautiful too."
She didn't respond to that, but she did tilt her head ever so slightly, indicating to me that she definitely acknowledged what I said, even if internally.
"...So, since you had a mother, was there ever a father in the picture of your story?"
"–No. Nor should you ask about one."
Ah, quick and cold response again. She didn't like that one. I guess since she's a progeny, it could be somewhat insulting to ask that? I mean, considering the terrible fake legends surrounding her mother and men, I guess I don't blame her.
"Okay. No problem. I won't ask then."
I put my hands up and said it calmly. Considering her reaction to that subject matter, I decided it was best to course correct back to her mother, since she was clearly better at talking about that.
"So… Is that mask the only thing that you have to remember your mother by? Or are there other "relics of the past" that you might have for that?"
"Why? So that you can use it against me?"
"Nope. Just asking."
This time, I was nonchalant about it. She must've started getting used to me saying that, because after a few seconds, she sighed again. Then, she reached for her waist, where her pelvic curtain was. There seemed to be some sort of ornament attached to the connecting rings that I didn't notice before. She removed that item from the pelvic curtain and brought it up to look at it.
Looking closer at it, it was some sort of handmade jewelry. It's….a bracelet, made entirely out of seashells. And probably the most beautiful seashells I've ever seen, honestly. Shiny and colorful, like a rainbow. Which is weird, since they're clearly a white color by default. It's like they have some sort of gradient applied. The best comparison my dumb brain can come up with is like how spilt oil can appear to glisten with different colors when combined with water, despite being a dark color.
But Medusa didn't say anything when she brought out the item. She just stared at it longingly. As a result, I asked her in a gentle tone.
"Did your mother make you that bracelet too?"
"...Yes."
"I see… It's beautiful."
"...Yes."
After a moment of caressing it, she continued. Her expression looked distant, but I could see the sadness visible in her eyes.
"...My mother made one….for each of us…. She had her own as well….. It was the symbol of my "family." It was….our symbol…. And now, it's just another relic of the past. Just like that worthless mask…"
Hearing her say it in such an uncharacteristically meek voice hurt me. Maybe because of my naivete, but I tried asking her about something, as if I could do anything about it…
"And where's the bracelet that belonged to your mother?"
Her tone became a mixture of sorrow and contempt.
"...Where do you think? It's probably still right there, where her corpse is…. Lying there, on the floor of our home…."
Her home… Medusa's lair, I assume. This begs the question as to how she ended up in that castle in northern Greece. I don't think I should ask her about that yet though. That would involve openly confronting the fact that she isn't the original Medusa who was slain by Perseus. She's kept the details vague enough to maintain her plausible deniability for a reason. I'll keep it that way for her sake.
"Well…. At the very least, you still have yours. That's probably the most important thing your mother left you, right? At least you have that to remember her by.."
I said that in an attempt to make her feel better, but it didn't seem to make a difference in her mood.
"...So what? Who cares…. Who cares if I have this stupid thing….. I don't want this….. All I want….. I'd rather have….."
She couldn't finish her sentences, but I knew exactly what she was trying to say.
"I know.."
"...No, you don't. You have no idea…"
Well, I guess she's right about that. I've experienced loss, but not like hers..
"Maybe you're right. But I have a lot of friends who went through the same thing. In fact, most of the people in my group don't have families either, not anymore. So trust me when I say that…you aren't alone on that."
That was me trying to comfort her, but she was simply too downtrodden for that.
"...I am alone….. Since then, I've been nothing but alone…. And I'll always be alone….."
"–You're wrong."
I contested what she said, causing her to raise her head a bit.
"You aren't alone. Not anymore. Not as long as I'm around, that is. Even if you don't see me as your master, even if you don't respect me, even if you don't like me– it doesn't matter. Because I won't leave you alone."
I declared it strongly, but I ended it with a smile.
"Even if it annoys you, heh."
For once, Medusa turned to look at me. She's giving me a pretty inquisitive "glare," if you could even call it that.
"...I don't get you….. You're too difficult to understand…"
Huh? Is she saying that because she's surprised that I backed off on the subjects she didn't like or something? Or because I'm being nice?
"Really? I'll take that as a compliment. Personally, I don't think I'm a very complicated person. If anything, I'm stupidly simple."
"That's just what you tell yourself. It's a lie. And you're an awful liar."
"Yeah… I've definitely been told that before. I guess I wouldn't be me if I wasn't being "honest." Quite literally… But look on the bright side. At least that means you know that I'm being honest when I say…whatever I'm saying. Hehe."
I laughed awkwardly, but Medusa lowered her gaze.
"That's exactly the problem.."
"Huh? What is..?"
"I know you're being honest…. I know you're telling the truth when you say you're curious about me. And I know you're telling the truth when you promise not to force my submission. And I know you're being honest when you say that you won't….leave me alone…. But that's why I don't understand you…. Doing this, acting like this, treating me with kindness for no rhyme or reason, when you can easily just use me however you please….. It just doesn't make sense…."
I casually shrugged it off.
"Well, sometimes people do things that don't make sense. Take it from me, a former human. If there's anything we specialise in, it's doing things that don't seem to make sense to everyone else. But I think that's okay. What matters most is whether our intentions are honest or dishonest. Don't you think so?"
Medusa gave me that inquisitive look again before turning away and muttering.
"...How should I know?"
Hmm. Back to square one, I suppose. This is going to take a good effort, just like I thought.
Sss..
"Hm?"
While I was lost in thought about it, I noticed one of the snakes from Medusa's hair inching a bit closer to me while she was turned away. I lifted my hand to try and touch it, but it recoiled from me. It didn't make a sound or hiss, so I obviously didn't make it angry or anything. It just seems apprehensive. Since that was the case, I decided to look away and not move, allowing the snake to approach me unbothered. At some point, I felt like it had gotten close enough to touch the back of my palm, so I lifted my hand and kept it suspended at a low angle.
Surprised, but also just as I had hoped, I felt the snake push itself up against my now open palm, as if petting itself with my hand.
No way… What if I try to pet it myself without looking at it? ...I'm doing it! It's letting me pet it! Haha, no way. I was intimidated by these snakes before, since they can shoot powerful lasers and stuff… but now this one seems docile enough to get a pet or two. That's kinda cute actually.
Ah, Medusa must've noticed. The snake I was touching suddenly retreated when she moved her shoulders. Well, at least I've gotten to the point of physical contact? With a hair-snake, that is.…
Clearing my throat, I decided to say something that I felt was necessary to convey.
"Hey. How about I make you a promise?"
For a moment, she didn't reply. It was probably out of confusion.
"..A promise?"
I carefully worded what I was about to say, as to not agitate her sensitivity regarding the "identity" of Medusa.
"As your master, I promise to avenge the honour of Medusa upon Perseus."
I'd never seen her head turn around faster, or look more confused.
"...What? What do you…mean by that?"
"Just what I said. In exchange for what Perseus has done, I'll give him a piece of my mind. No, I'll right the wrongs that he committed. As best as I can.."
Medusa narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but the confusion was still ever present.
"...Do you mean….for when he attacked me?"
Again, I worded my response extremely carefully.
"For what he's done to Medusa, yes."
Her face looked puzzled and her eyes shifted around, as if trying to figure out what I mean.
"...I don't understand…. Why…?"
To that question, I couldn't help holding my hands together in front of my nose and crossing my fingers.
"…Like you said, I don't know everything you've been through, and I won't pretend to understand everything you're feeling either. A lot of that can be attributed to my ignorance of the circumstances of your past, but…. Even if I don't know everything you've gone through, or…everything regarding the true story of "Medusa," I do know one thing…. And that's the same thing that anyone with half a mind should understand once they've read the "ending" to that story: Medusa was murdered. She was murdered by Perseus with the assistance of the gods, for reasons that were completely arbitrary, and unconnected to her. No matter what, nothing will change how wrong that is. Medusa was wronged. She was wronged by the gods, and even by that bastard Perseus. That's why, the "hero" deserves to be brought back down to earth with mortals again. To be humbled– no, humiliated."
Because of the sincerity of my declaration, she doesn't even seem to have noticed my implication that her and the original Medusa are different people.
"But…. What does that have to do with you…? Why do you care?"
I decided to be entirely honest with her.
"Because although I don't know everything about what I'd like to become, there's one thing I'm already set on being. And that's a defender to those who've been abandoned or betrayed by the gods who claim to protect them. A defender of those who've suffered the consequences to conflicts or ideologies completely uninvolved from them. Medusa, undoubtedly, is one of those people…. That alone is enough of a reason for me… Besides, on top of all that, Perseus tried to kill my familiar…. I don't care if it was self-defense or not anymore… At this point, I'm just itching to give him some well deserved payback…"
I couldn't hold back the frustration in my voice. Yeah, I've made up my mind. I'm not letting Perseus get away with what he did. I don't care about being civil about it anymore. This is personal now. If I see him again, I'll settle it just the way he wanted to…
…Eventually though, I snapped myself out of my angered stupor and smiled.
"Well, anyway, that's my promise. I'm a man of my word, so I'll definitely get it done. You can count on that."
Medusa's confusion didn't seem to decrease. She lowered herself again and stared into her own reflection in the water below her, for some reason.
"...I just don't get it…"
She shook her head a few times, as if she gave up completely on trying to understand it. Once again, she sighed deeply.
"...Well? Is that all you wanted to say?"
Is that all I wanted to say to her…? –Oh! Wait a minute! I almost forgot! There is one more important thing to ask her about!
I stood up and composed myself into a more professional stature.
"Actually, no. There's something very important that I wanted to ask you, Medusa."
"...Oh, yeah? And what's that?"
After clearing my throat, I explained it.
"The truth is…. Tomorrow, I'll be going to Olympus."
The moment I said that, I saw the snakes in Medusa's hair become irritated and her shoulders lifted. Even without being able to see her face, I could immediately imagine the kind of hateful expression she was making right now. Especially with how coldly her voice slithered out from her mouth.…
"Why?"
"I was invited there to–"
"–Oh, Invited? Ha… That's odd. Despite your big claims, you and the gods must be pretty chummy with each other, "master."
"No, not exactly… I mean, I'm not trying to make enemies with them, the opposite in fact... I am trying to make an alliance between them and my own allied forces, but even so–"
"Alliance? So you're just trying to make friends, but you're not friends just yet, huh? And you think they'll honour that?"
I couldn't even explain myself, she just kept cutting me off. Even in a smaller voice, she interrupted me.
"Listen, I'm telling you this for a very important reaso–"
"–You liar. You don't care about me…. You don't care about what happened to my mother…. You're a liar, just like him…"
Finally, I snapped and raised my voice.
"You think I was lying about what I said? You think I was lying about Perseus, about my promise, about who I want to be? You're good at detecting lies, aren't you? So tell me, Medusa. What part was I lying about?"
She didn't respond. Her snakes were only slightly less aggravated, but no less protective. Medusa herself just kept her head down, causing my guilt to rise. I took a breath.
"I'm sorry… I understand your reaction. Just let me explain, okay?"
She still didn't reply. Ugh, geez…
I need to rethink my approach. I need to level with her.
"Okay… Look… Just because I'm building an alliance with the gods, that does not mean that I agree with everything they do, let alone what they've done. You heard what I said, and you know that I meant it. I'm not afraid to reprimand the gods any more than Perseus. I'm perfectly willing to give them my unfiltered opinions too, I'm just trying to focus on the main perpetrator…. That all being said, the only reason I even decided to mention my invitation to Olympus is because…"
I sighed tiredly, but I was determined. I've made up my mind. This might very well be a terrible idea, but I've made my decision.
"The reason I mentioned this is because, when I get there, I'm going to ask them a lot of questions. And some of those questions are specifically going to involve…you. Medusa. And I'm sure there's going to be plenty of information regarding your existence that they'll give me, some that you probably won't like…. But I don't want just the perspective of the gods. Who knows how biased or unbiased they could be…. Plus…. I get the feeling that there's also some words you might have for them. And as your master, I think you have the right to say them, just as much as I do. –That's why, Medusa…. Just like I promised you something, I need you to promise me something. I need you to promise me…that if I summon you there, on Olympus, you won't lose your composure like you did with Perseus… I need you to promise me that, no matter what, you'll keep your cool while we're there. Even in front of the gods…"
Medusa lifted her gaze and furrowed her brows at me antagonistically.
"...Is that an order, "master?"
"No, it's not… It's a request. I'm asking you to please keep control of yourself and your emotions when we're there."
"Why not just command me to do it?"
"Like I said before, that's not the type of master I want to be. And that's certainly not how I want our relationship to be."
Medusa scoffed, then tossed a barrage of her distrustful accusations at me.
"Hmph… "Relationship." What a joke…. You keep telling me that it's a request, but the truth is, it's just a veiled attempt to control me, isn't it? You know I don't have a choice anyway, you're just making it seem like I do, so you don't have to take responsibility for it. You want to subjugate me, you just don't have the courage to admit it."
"No. –It's because if you do anything reckless while we're there….I'm not sure I could protect you like I did with Perseus. Against the might of Olympus, let alone Zeus or his brothers, I don't know how much I can do… I can't guarantee your protection against them. I can only guarantee that I'd die trying."
To that, Medusa's eyes widened, and even her snakes seemed surprised somehow, if you can believe it.
"...W…Why?"
"Do I need a reason to protect my familiar? I didn't need one before, why would I need one now?"
For the briefest moment, I noticed Medusa's eyes lock onto my shoulder, the shoulder that had been pierced by Perseus's blade, before she quickly averted her gaze… Lowering her head again, she took a while to respond, but eventually, she did.
"...Fine.."
I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Great… I appreciate it–"
"–On one condition."
Unexpectedly, she interrupted me. Huh? A condition?
"What condition?"
She scowled, answering me in a lower tone.
"...Summon me only once you've encountered Poseidon.."
…That's her condition? Poseidon… If I recall, the first time I met her in the castle, she had only called out to me after I mentioned the gods, specifically Poseidon… Is there something she has against him? Before the Rating Game against Sairaorg, I asked Poseidon about her, but that was just because I thought they had a connection, due to the incorrect assumption that the popular legends were true. But if the most notable stories regarding Medusa and Poseidon are false, which they are, then why would she ask for this…?
That being said, Poseidon does seem to know something about her, so maybe there's more that I don't know yet. Questioning him might reveal some things, but introducing the two will do even more. Yeah… It's a risk I have to take.
"Can I ask what you want from him specifically, just to be sure?"
"...I have questions for him."
Questions, huh? She would know best which stories about her mother are true and which aren't. But maybe, that's exactly the point... Maybe there's some small truth to the legends that only she knows? And she might just be using "questioning him" as a front. In that case…
"You won't surprise me and attack him on sight, will you?"
Again, she took her time answering, raising my concern.
"...I won't."
"Can you promise me, Medusa?"
"Yes.."
"I need to hear you say it. Please."
I entreated her directly. Once again, Medusa looked me straight in the eyes.
For the second time, I had completely forgotten that she could turn me into stone just by trapping my gaze. It was so easy to get lost in her eyes, honestly. Maybe that's why the original Medusa had such an easy time back in her day. Looks like my familiar won't be any different…
To my luck, finally, Medusa agreed.
"I promise."
That was the most earnest response I'd heard from her since we met. I smiled gratefully.
"Thank you. That's all I ask… I'm sorry for all the trouble. I'll let you be now."
After confirming what I needed, I decided to leave Medusa alone for now. I think I've agitated her enough for one day. Before I could leave though, I heard her muttering to herself.
"...I don't understand you…. You don't make any sense…."
I stopped and gave her a chuckle.
"I told you, didn't I? Sometimes, human beings do things that don't make sense. Try not to think too hard about it."
With that, I made my way out of the area. I also heard water splashing around, causing me to glance back out of reflex. Looks like Medusa laid her head down on her arms against the edge of the jacuzzi, probably to take a nap. The splashing sound must've been caused by Medusa's massive lower half. Funny, it doesn't really look like her tail has moved positions at all though..? Oh well, I'm just glad she didn't think to splash me throughout all that.
Part 5
It's been a few hours since I talked with Medusa. Now, it was nighttime, and since we have a long day tomorrow, it was decided that we would sleep earlier than usual.
It was just about time to head to bed, but Ravel was nowhere to be seen. I sent Rias and Asia off to bed without me so that I could go looking for her. For whatever reason, they both seemed especially clingy today, more so Asia than anyone else. She also looked pretty depressed on top of that. It must be because of what they discovered about my lifespan in the morning. I'm sure as per Azazel's original prediction, she's been blaming herself. That was that guy Shalba's fault though. Unfortunately, Asia is too innocent so trying to comfort her by telling her that he's dead likely isn't going to help. In any case, I'll leave Rias to handle that. For that, she knows what to say better than I do.
Anyway, upon my search, I discovered a light bleeding out into the darkness from the floor above me.
"That's the floor that Koneko-chan and Akeno-chan's rooms are on…"
My suspicions rose, and I along with it. I went up to the next floor and saw the light that was spilling into the hallway. As I thought, it's coming from Koneko-chan's bedroom. If my suspicions are correct, then the familiar voices I can hear coming from the door….
"Onee-sama…"
I heard Koneko-chan's voice, and as per my suspicions, I also heard the voice that followed. Kuroka.
"Hee-hee-hee! I knew you'd entered your fertile cycle, Shirone. You're just dying to get his genes, aren't you, nyaa?"
"...This has nothing to do with you, onee-sama. Please leave."
"Come on! Admit it, and onee-chan teach you how to snag him up easily, nyan!"
Just like I thought, the mischievous neko-neesan snuck into Koneko-chan's room to stir up trouble. I can't say that was unexpected at all. What I can say was unexpected however, was the third voice that I heard that coming out from the room.
"L-Leave Koneko-chan alone..! You and your provocations are the last thing she needs right now! Right now, what she needs above all else is the opportunity to rest without being bothered by her troublemaker sister..!"
That voice..! It's Ravel! So this is where she was! She must've been worried about Koneko-chan and went to check on her before bed. And now she's defending Koneko-chan from her sister. Nice one, Ravel!
"Ara~ Maybe you're right, Shirone. This probably doesn't have anything to do with me. But can you say the same thing about your friend here, nyaa?"
"L-Like Koneko-chan said, this has nothing to do with you! Please, just leave her alone for now!"
What Kuroka said about Ravel… It sounds like it made her nervous. I was right. Kuroka does know something is up. And she can tell that it has something to do with my affections being directed towards her now. Dammit. She's the absolute last person I would've wanted to be involved in all of this.
Then, suddenly, Koneko-chan's voice came out in a lower tone. This time, it was directed towards…Ravel.
"Ravel…. I need you to leave too…"
"Huh? Oh, of course I'll leave… But this vixen has to leave first! She can't be trusted around Koneko-chan alone!"
"No, Ravel…. I need you to leave now.."
"Eh..?"
"I need you to leave, and not come back in here again…. I need you to leave me alone, from now on…. Please, don't bother me anymore…."
"...K…..Koneko-chan…?"
–Once I heard Ravel's voice breaking up, I threw open the door.
Dun!
"Oya, I thought I sensed a certain god-slayer hiding behind the door. Looks like my intuition was right, nyaa."
"I-Ise-sama..!"
Ravel turned around, but I still caught the movement of her hand wiping her eyes…
I couldn't control the tone of my voice well, and it came out sounding stern. It almost sounded like I was talking through my teeth a bit.
"Ravel… Go to bed. I'll join you soon."
Obviously, it ended up sounding like a command. But I don't think it would've made a difference with Ravel. She would've listened anyway, I'm sure.
Nevertheless, she complied and quickly walked past me.
"...Yes, Ise-sama."
And as she passed me, I was able to catch a glance of her heartbroken expression…
(...It feels like my head is burning up..)
–.
"Ara, nyaa. What a very nasty glare. Is that directed at me or..?"
Like Kuroka said, I could feel my face was contorted into a hostile expression. Rubbing a hand over my face, I composed myself.
"Kuroka… Can't say I'm surprised to see you here. Just can't help yourself, huh? You've always got to be up to no good, don't you? What have you been telling Koneko-chan..?"
My dead-serious attitude indicated my unwillingness to tolerate shenanigans of any kind, but as expected, Kuroka wasn't deterred from acting as annoying as usual.
"Don't be so judgemental, nyaa. I knew Shirone was in heat the moment I laid eyes on her, so I came to check how she was doing. It's natural for her onee-chan to worry, isn't it?"
Koneko-chan's stern expression didn't seem to validate that claim. And considering what she said about Ravel, she's clearly just here to stir up the pot. I'd say she's more curious than concerned.
"Not for you, no."
I answered without any sort of hesitance, causing Kuroka to frown for a moment. She quickly returned to her regular attitude though.
"Well, if that's what you believe, that's fine. But I do know one thing. And it's that Shirone is in a very delicate state right now. Her heat sickness seems quite severe. Anything could set her off at any moment. For example…"
Without warning, Kuroka took her sister's arm and thrust her in my direction. As a result, Koneko-chan was sent flying towards my chest, and I caught her out of reflex. However..
"Nyaaa… Issei-senpai…"
Just like the last time, Koneko-chan clung to my body with a sad face. Her eyes glistened and her voice came out like a sensual whisper. Even her tail coiled around my right arm.
"No matter how much a Nekomata tries to hold back, once she's made physical contact with the man she loves, she'll be overcome with the desire to procreate with him. Shirone is desperate to bear your children, Sekiryuutei-chin~"
Tch! She really did just come here to provoke Koneko-chan. She's acting like a complete instigator. Fucking troublemaker.
Just as I was beginning to become irritated by the situation caused by Kuroka, Koneko-chan's nightgown started to slip off from her frail body.
"...Issei-senpai…. Is my body….no good….? Won't you have sex with me…? I…I can take you in…. I know I'm small in a lot of ways, but I'm still a woman…. I want your babies, Issei-senpai…"
"Koneko."
I placed my hands on Koneko-chan's shoulders to calmly push her away, but the tightness of her grip on me increased.
"Even if I can't be your manager, I can satisfy you…. I can't lose you…. Not again…. I can't lose you.."
–Somewhere inside of my psyche, it felt like…something was stirring. I couldn't tell what it was, nor could I decipher the emotions derived from it. Whatever it was, it gave me pause, and reminded me of all that had occurred between me and my group.
(...Is this sadness? Or is this….anger?)
But then, something snapped me back to reality.
"...I can't lose you again. I won't…. Not to her…. I won't lose to that Yakitori girl…. I won't let her take you from me…."
(–.)
Whack!
And before I knew it, Koneko-chan had been knocked unconscious, leaving me to catch her limp body.
"What are you doing?!"
For the first time, I saw Kuroka's shocked expression.
"A heat cycle is a Nekomata's most vulnerable physical state! Do you have any idea what knocking her out at the height of her hormones could do to her?!"
"...Yeah. I was informed."
"..?!"
Of course, I asked the obvious.
"But since when did you start caring?"
Soon, the shock on Kuroka's face passed, and I saw her feline pupils thin. For the first time, I witnessed her anger as well, as she glared at me with purely malicious intent.
"...You're right. I guess I don't."
With a pause, Kuroka approached us and quickly did something to the back of Koneko-chan's neck with her fingers. Was that...Senjutsu?
Then, Kuroka made her way out of the bedroom. As she walked past me, she snarled under breath.
"Vali was right. You've changed….. for the worst."
But I paid no mind to her words. I was just glad that she was finally gone. Lifting Koneko-chan into my arms, I walked over to the bed and laid her down. After tucking her into the sheets, I went to leave the room.
I took one last glance back at Koneko-chan, but my mind remained devoid of thoughts…
Dakun..
Closing the door behind me, I only then noticed the crack in the finely furnished wood that was caused by my hand earlier…
"...'Can't lose you'…."
I returned to my room for the night and slept.
End
There we go! Jesus! This was waaaay longer than I thought it was gonna be, fuck me! I literally thought this was gonna be 15k words, lo' and behold, it's almost fucking double that. Jiminy Christmas…. I seriously CANNOT be trusted with word/character limits. At all… I mean, the next chapter is going to be Olympus, so I can't complain about word count yet…
So, how about that talk with Ophis? I couldn't help feeling that the original Light Novel didn't give Ophis's arrival enough impact. As a result, I tried to make it as interesting as possible here in consideration of all the various plot threads that I've introduced in this story. Hopefully some of you enjoyed that, as I know that there are those of you who really think of Ophis's arrival as lackluster. And for all of the Serafall lovers, our favorite Magical girl finally made another appearance! A real one this time. Thanks to her, we now know that all of the alliance treaties have been finalized. But it looks like there are still pantheons that are hesitant to join in. I wonder if Ise can change their minds or not. Actually, I can say for sure that he'll change their minds. Now as to whether he'll change it in a good or a bad way, we'll just need to see…
Looks like Ise was also able to build some rapport with his antisocial familiar. What is going on with her though? Some of you have your theories, and some of them got close, but nobody's guessed it correctly just yet. The mystery of her existence continues, I suppose. Well, until next chapter, that is…
Above all else, it seems like our characters are slowly but surely starting to realize that something is…off. Issei said it himself: "Things are back to normal now." But it seems like Serafall is aware of something that issei isn't. Or rather, something that he refuses to (REDACTED). His (inner thoughts) are appearing more and more often lately too. Unspoken thoughts that lie deep beneath the surface, on the subconscious level, in his heart, where nobody can hear them. Not even Ddraig, and not even himself. All in all, the atmosphere in the ORC is starting to tense. And that tension is coming to a head… What could this mean? (The confrontation draws nearer and nearer.. 2 chapters left..)
Anyway, tell me what you guys thought. And tell me what you expect to see happening on Mount Olympus.
What did you think of Ophis and Vali team's arrival? What interested you most about their arrival and their conversation? Were you happy to see Serafall again? What part of her discussion with Ise stuck with you the most? What exactly is going on with Medusa? Is Ise making the right choice by allowing her to appear on Olympus? What will come of this? What will Ise do to avenge the honor of Medusa? What on earth is going to happen on Olympus?!
Let me know your thoughts! (Also, you might get notifications on your apps about updates to the story, but unless the chapter count changes, just assume that it's me revising some of the older chapters. Because a lot of those are in DESPERATE need of cleaning up. That's what happens when you write chapters all through the night and release them in a sleep deprived morning. I'm glad I don't do that anymore. Very unhealthy. )
Read, Rate, Review! Go crazy!
Stay frosty (still impossible, the world is burning. Results may vary.)