The Time of Isolation Hath Come

XVI

Issei could feel the sweat building on his palms, rubbing them against his trouser leg offered little more than a brief respite.

"Don't think I've been this far into the school before."

It was a whisper intended only for himself really.

Unfortunately, he was surrounded by those who had rather exceptional hearing.

"I confess, I have not either." The sudden reply of Kiba had him start only a little, but he relaxed as the knight continued on. "Though, to my knowledge, is it mostly for the staff members and other academic higher ups to use when they visit, important meetings and the like."

Issei turned on the blonde and hummed, "Sounds a bit…simple?"

He was probably making a poor showing of it.

Though Kiba clearly felt it funny enough to chuckle under his breath, shaking his head and sending him a wry look. "I believe that this meeting hall will not take place in the middle of the ordinary staff room, Issei. Though I suppose that would present the rather unorthodox image, all things considered."

The thought entered his mind and he was left with a bemused image of the Angel Michael and Sirzechs getting into some sort of long winded chat about things, all while they stood in front of a coffee machine.

He snorted lightly at the thought. "Yeah. That's one word for it…How much money does the school even have to afford all of this stuff?"

Kiba shrugged. "I have never thought to ask about it myself. But I imagine it to be rather considerable, especially given that this serves as the headquarters for the heiresses of two of the Pillars. I believe the term, 'spared no expense' would be rather apt."

Actually, that made sense.

Weird how he kept forgetting that little detail.

He rolled his shoulders, twitching a little as they got closer and closer to the doorways, passing by each one. Yet the small nervous bubble within him grew with each door they walked past. He soon began wishing they would stop and one and then just go in so they could get this over with.

Rolling his jaw, he glanced at Kiba and exhaled. "You don't think they're going to ask us anything, do you?"

Kiba frowned. "...I can't dismiss the possibility, I am afraid. Though I am sure it will be nothing serious, even if they were to ask us something."

Turning on him, the fellow Devil brought out the best sort of smile he could. The type of smile that Issei was certain would have made any girl in the school weak at the knees and all but fall into the arms of the dashing prince and declare that they could fear nothing so long as his gallant figure was there to watch over them…

…A bit specific, he was sure.

But that was just how it came across.

"...Alright." Was the response he offered, slowly turning away and moving his line of sight away from the smile. Caught somewhere between cringing and something else. Weird guy. "Knowing our luck, they're probably going to ask something…especially that Azazel guy…how they heck is Roman-sensei friends with that dude?"

"Given he was friends with the secretary…" Kiba pointed out slowly.

Issei waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah. I know they probably met but I just don't see how they'd be friends. No offence, but everything about the guy just oozes being untrustworthy."

"He is the leader of the Fallen Angels." Akeno spoke from ahead of them, her voice measured and without turning. "The one who led the Angels from the purity of Heaven and down into the realm of sin. One could say that his entire existence is to be nothing more than a representative of what the Fallen Angels are."

He frowned a little at that, and he saw the way Buchou twitched as if the comment was somehow a bit hurtful to her.

"...I don't think they could all be that bad." Issei found himself muttering back, then stopped when Akeno was suddenly looking over her shoulder at him. There was something in her gaze that was a bit sharp. Not hostile but not all that friendly either. "That Penemue woman really came through so…"

His words slipped away.

Akeno continued to stare at him, then the sharpness receded and she faced the front once more.

"...I suppose she did."

A soft admission, but it felt a bit forced to him.

For a conference about peace, Issei felt as though there would never really be a time when everyone was quite so on edge. The only way this could really get worse for them would be if the Burial lady showed up again. Because that would be both horrifying and rather worrying.

She intimidated him and he was not ashamed to admit it.

But she seemed to intimidate everyone, so that was fine…probably…maybe?

Was it?

[Burial Agents are the best of the best. Ruthless gang of zealots. If she wasn't intimidating devils, then she wouldn't be doing her job…But you're a bit more than the average Devil. You'll get stronger than her.]

Ddraig mumbled in the back of his mind, a short little mutterance before he was gone once again. It was hard to tell when the dragon was actually paying attention or not, but he figured they would at least be awake for something like this.

As for the words themselves.

Those definitely sounded like a command rather than anything else.

Because of course it was.

Not that he needed to be told that getting stronger was a good idea, especially given some of the guys that were running around recently, all of whom seemed to be the sort that could just crush him under their pinkie or something absurd like that.

It was daunting.

He stopped and glanced up when he realised everyone else had stopped, then he felt his heart sputter around in his chest as he stared at the double doors before them. The procession - headed by Buchou - entered upon a few knocks by the redhead herself, Akeno filed in immediately after her.

He followed in their wake, taking in a deep breath to prepare himself for what was probably going to be a rather stressful situation. He was reminded more of stepping onto the stage for a talent show.

Despite the fact he had never actually done one of those before.

Immediately his eyes darted about the room in search of some familiar faces, a pang of relief as his eyes settled on the Student Council President first, but that quickly bled away to something a bit more complicated when he recalled the last time they had actually met one another.

Beside her stood the vice-president, both of whom spared their group a brief glance before their eyes returned to the chamber.

And it was a chamber.

Issei was briefly stricken with the scale of the room, far beyond what he had actually been expecting it to be. Certainly not some meeting hall that looked as though it had been pulled right out of some mansion, there was even a chandelier casting light down from above them, tall standing windows allowing for a view of the school on the other side.

Then, in the very centre of the room, there was a rather large circular table of some rather nice looking wood, very polished. He might have been able to see his face in it if he had been sitting there at the time.

But it barely held his attention long as he shuffled further into the room.

A pair of figures turned on them from the closest corner, both with pale hair.

He recognised the man first, still wearing that extravagant renaissance outfit that he wore when they first met. Vlov spared them all a glance, eyes lingering on Kiba the longest, before he turned away from them in silence. It was only the second of the two, Grafiya, he believed her name was, who actually offered a faint bow of the head towards Buchou.

Still wearing the maid outfit as when he first met her.

Not what he would have worn to a peace conference but he could understand the appeal.

Once again, Sirzechs was a cool dude.

Speaking of, the pair of Satans glanced their way, Sirzechs showing them a welcoming smile as he gestured for them to fall into line behind him.

"I would welcome Rias Gremory, my sister, to this meeting." Sirzechs spoke to the room, his hand sweeping over them all. "And a majority of her peerage."

Issei wondered if he should have waved or something.

He turned to the table and then froze on the spot, the thought died in his head as he found himself blanching at who else was in the room.

"You brought more kids to this thing?"

The blonde from earlier, the literal God, was across the other side of the room and still wearing the sunglasses. Held in his hands was a long cardboard tube, one that Issei recognised rather quickly. The bemusement of what he saw was as short lived as the comment made by the blonde himself, especially as he dove his hand to the tube and plucked out another crisp from within.

A loud crunch followed as he put the whole thing in his mouth.

Issei found himself blinking at the display, then moved on.

There was some silver haired guy sending him a rather weird looking smile, a really creepy one that had him almost shivering with the way he was looking. As if he was some slab of meat on a countertop.

He shuddered a little and moved further-

Was that Irina?

He double taked.

Sure enough, that was Irina.

His eyes widened further as he stared at the twin tailed girl, who looked back at himself and the others with a look devoid of anything. Face set in a stoic visage, the girl stood behind Michael at the left hand side of the Satans, covered in a long flowing white gown which obscured whatever she was wearing beneath.

He felt himself tense when he noticed something else.

Something beside Irina, in the corner of his eye.

Slowly, he turned to the shadow and found himself paling.

Is that the Grim Reaper!?

A flowing dark cloak, a chain of bronze bells strapped over his chest and a raised hood that lacked even an ounce of expression. Issei started to stare for longer than he should have, longer than anyone should have really looked at.

But his eyes were drawn to it.

To the hood and to the formless void which lacked a face.

No…it wasn't formless…

The longer he looked, the swifter he could see it.

The rippling of the dark, like the surface of water, from within the hood, faint movements at first as though in a light breeze, back and forth. Sounds bled away as he gazed longer at the blackened liquid face, without eyes yet all seeing. Issei could tell when it turned on him, when it looked right at him.

He could tell because his body locked up.

Ice flooded his veins, his heart started to hammer away in his chest.

Louder and louder it drummed all the while, the 'face' rippled faster, the flutterings across the hood swirled and he watched the liquid change. Swirl about and twist as though a vortex was sucking inwards, drawn further into the hood until only a gaping maw remained.

The maw stared back and Issei could not blink.

Was he breathing?

Why did everything feel so-

He gasped loudly and staggered, falling back and slamming a hand over his chest and clenching it tightly, breaths came out once more in rapid pants. He pressed his palm further against his body, as if trying to push through the fabric of his shirt and wrap his fingers around his heart directly.

Something was moving him, not that he could feel, some force was pushing at his left side.

His eyes snapped towards it and with wide eyes, she stared at Buchou.

Her hands draped over his shoulders and steadying him, then her face twisted into a scowl as she turned on the group, her mouth opened and she said something. Though he could not hear it over the thundering beats of his own heart. His cold brow dripped, sweat ran down his face and he turned to gaze at the table.

Michael was saying something as well, holding up his hands and looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"Peace."

Silence.

Save for the voice, the gentle voice that sounded so much like many voices spoken as once, old, young, male and female.

Yet they spoke as one.

It was a clear sound, distinct and confused, orderly and chaotic.

"The child gazed too long into the depths. He shall recover 'i yet a instant."

Once more the voice drowned everything else, his heart slowed and he could feel it calming his body. Pulling his right hand up, he dragged it over his brow and pulled it away, staring at his soaked palm and then to the cloak once more. This time, he dared not let his eyes linger and twisted away suddenly.

Instead he sought out something that would be calming to look at.

So he stared, with greater intensity than ever before, at the breasts of Buchou and welcomed their calming nature.

"Well this is off to a fantastic start."

A dry voice came from the other end of the room.

Then came a sigh.

"Azazel…"

"What? You're the one who brought-"

"Azazel."

"Et tu, Penemue?" An exaggerated sigh, then a grunt. "Alright, fine…Seriously though. Out of Heaven for a few days and you're literally putting the fear of death in people. You haven't changed a bit, have you brother?"

Silence pervaded through the room at the lack of an answer, or perhaps it was answered and Issei could not hear it. All he truly focused on was getting his breathing back under control and steadying his nerves. Still at a loss for what exactly happened, his head came up from the view of Buchou and back across the room to the others, wincing and flushing as he spotted multiple eyes upon him.

Azazel sent him a wry look. "Not sure why you decided to look Azrael in the face like that-"

Who?

"-but try not to do that. It doesn't end well."

Rias grumbled beside him. "Then perhaps some warning as to whether he was coming would have been appreciated." it was a small whisper, one that Issei himself wasn't sure he should have heard.

But it did not go unheard.

"I apologise for that, it was a recent development and I was unable to warn you in time." Sirzechs spoke up, drawing Issei's attention to him.

The Lucifer bowed his head ever so slightly. "I accept responsibility for that misstep…Though perhaps we might continue before something else were to happen? I believe it would be best to put this sour note behind-"

"Issei Hyoudou."

Issei stilled at the voice, the multitude that came once more, really not wanting to turn and face it directly. Instead he glanced in the general direction but stopped right beside Irina, just so that shadow was visible in the corner of his eye.

Even that made him feel like he was standing on a ledge looking down.

Unnerving.

"It had been wise not to lock eyes with me. I herald passing and the knell doth not toll thy name yet."

…What the heck did that even mean?

He didn't understand half of the old words used and even then it filled him with some profound sense of dread. His throat ran dry and he nodded rapidly, all he really got from that was to not look at the creepy grim reaper looking guy. He could do that. Heck, he would have done that without being told after what just happened to him!

Rapidly, he nodded his head and stepped backwards.

"...If I knew your peace conference was going to start like this, I would have brought more snacks."

The comment from Tezcatlipoca went almost unacknowledged, save for Issei briefly glancing in the direction of the man and then away from him.

He wasn't sure which was scarier right now.

The God who was dressed like some tourist or the literal person of death.

Was it too late for him to bunk out in the nurse's office? Because he wanted to go and do that.

"Ahem."

Slowly standing from the chair, Michael raised his hands and filled the room with some sense of serenity. That was the only way Issei could describe the action, a gentle smile on his lips as his eyes swept across the room with a casual slowness about them.

"If we have come to an understanding, then we might begin in earnest. Azrael came of his own accord and I agreed. I apologise for any mistakes, but they were not intentional and I hope that you do not hold them personally against him…he…does not often come to the mortal world without good reason."

Issei had a strong inclination to believe that the 'good reason' involved a funeral.

But he wasn't going to say that out loud.

"Of course." Sirzechs hummed in assent, Michael returned to his seat and shuffled ever so slightly, getting himself more comfortable.

"Then perhaps we should begin at the incident which led to this meeting being held here…"

The focus of the room shifted.

All eyes landed on Azazel, the man remained rather calm despite that, only raising a curious brow but holding some knowing glint in his eyes. As if he expected this and was somehow amused by it all.

"Oh?" The Governor mused with a tilt of the head. "I suddenly feel on the spot."

Serafall leaned forwards. "Of course you should." raising a hand, she pointed across the table towards him. "Or did you think people forgot all about the fact it was one of your lot who stole all those Excaliburs and came here to hurt my precious So-tan! I know he got gobbled up by that nasty thing, but he was still looking to trigger another war between us."

Azazel winced briefly at the mention of the guy getting eaten.

Yeah.

Issei could relate, especially because the person had been after him as well. That was a cold thought to hold.

"...Alright, yeah." Azazel nodded his head. "Kokabiel went on a bit of a rampage and decided to act of his own accord. I'm not sure what his plan was with all the Excaliburs or with Valper but…I suppose it doesn't matter much now. He's dead and whatever he wanted to do died with him."

The man raised his hands.

"I wash myself of him and declare he acted completely alone. I had some inkling he would try something so I was prepared to dispatch Vali, The White Dragon Emperor-"

He gestured to the silver haired teen behind him.

Issei blinked.

Then blinked again.

Then his head whipped around to the guy who looked barely older than himself and stared with wide eyes.

This was the person that Ddraig said he had to settle a deathmatch with?!

Vali, as he was called, spared him a brief glance and offered a faint smile. One that looked rather sharp for a moment before it vanished, the boy leaned against the wall and folded his arms, closing his eyes and appearing for all the world like he had just fallen asleep on the spot.

Weirdo.

"-ot that it was really needed by the end of things, it seemed. From what I've been told, you two had things well in hand…and I'm not the only one out there swiping Excaliburs."

Issei furrowed his brows for a moment before things clicked into place, the guy who had been there who may or may not have been one of the actual knights from the round table. Even he knew about King Arthur and Excalibur before everything kicked off…although his knowledge may or may not have come from name drops in VN's.

He would not be judged for that.

"The matter of Sir Bedivere is being discussed within our own ranks at this time." Michael quickly replied to that, but not too quickly. The smile on his face shifted and turned more troubled. "Though…I am left to wonder as to what his goal might be for all of it…I do not believe him to be an active enemy and therefore, we can remove him from the discussion for the time being."

"He is owed a debt for safeguarding the life of my sister that I will not soon forget." Sirzechs saw fit to interject. "Myself and Lady Leviathan are in agreement. Theft of the Excaliburs or no, until he becomes aggressive within our territories, we shall not condone an active hunt of him at this time…at least from the Devils. Whether the two of you decide to mobilise your forces are another matter."

Issei frowned a little at that.

Everything was moving a little quickly but it sounded like that they weren't going to chase down Bedivere, but they weren't going to stop anyone else from doing it either. Which seemed…a little unfair to him.

If this was Sir Bedivere then wasn't he supposed to have chucked away Excalibur already?

Then again, it was broken so he probably wasn't able to do so at the time…

No, he didn't get it but the Bedivere guy had seemed pretty cool and had helped them out with everything that was going on. He'd even talked with Kiba and the teen seemed a little…better than before.

At least enough that he wasn't trying to chase down Excalibur at the moment.

So Issei figured he couldn't have been that bad a guy.

His lips rolled inwards as he stifled his confused objection to chasing down the guy for what sounded like recovering his bosses property.

It was likely more politics stuff that he didn't get.

"Heaven will accept that position from the Devils." Michael's words came clear, a slight nod of the head and then he was looking to the others. "And will be open to accepting any such position from the Grigori…but it shall be stated that we have no wish to spill the blood of Sir Bedivere."

Azazel scoffed loudly. "What? And you think I want to? Nah, so long as no one is trying to start any wars, I'm not all that interested in the toys of King Arthur…though I wouldn't mind figuring out how Bedivere lived so long…"

It was a low mutter, but just loud enough that everyone heard it, combined with the sly grin, it was clear that it had been intentional.

"Perhaps we shall put the matter of Sir Bedivere to the side for the moment, given that there seems to be little else we can discuss that has not already been agreed upon?"

Nods of the head went about the table at the suggestion of the Lucifer.

"Very well. Then perhaps we might move onto our first order of business. We accept that you had suspicions but not concrete knowledge of what Kokabiel intended at this time and that he became a rogue element who was subsequently defeated and slain by yet another faction…"

Sirzechs raised a hand and then twitched it forwards, Issei glanced at Buchou and Sitri-Kaichou as they stepped away from the wall and towards the back of the Lucifer.

"In your own words, Lady Gremory and Lady Sitri, might we have an account of what transpired in the immediate build up to our confrontation with Fabro Rowan?"

Rias bowed her head. "Of course, Lord Lucifer."

Then stepped forwards and started speaking.

"And what about this?"

"It looks…very nice?"

Romani found it hard to fight back the light snort as he glanced over his shoulder to where Leona and Gasper were. One of them certainly seemed more animated than the other, because Leona never went anywhere without her sketchbook and pencils in case inspiration struck.

Or so she had said.

Leading to her showing off all manner of curious designs for some little gadget that Gasper would be wearing in the future, if he wanted it.

Though the boy looked caught between being grateful and being taken aback by the enthusiasm.

He knew that feeling well enough.

He glanced back to the desk and continued to fold the paper in his hands, briefly glancing at his phone and raising a brow.

Then he looked back at the paper.

It wasn't working.

"Ugly."

The single comment came from Koneko sitting across from him, in one of the spare stools and leaning against the wall. A packet of crisps on her lap and her amber eyes watching him in judgement. Lingering on the failed attempt at origami and then towards him. At the very least her words didn't feel mean spirited.

At least, he thought they didn't.

Romani shrugged slightly. "I mean…it was my first attempt."

"Cute." Koneko replied, then thought about it for a moment longer and then spoke again as she fished out another crisp. "But still ugly."

The paperwork hadn't taken nearly as long as he thought it was going to and by the time he finished, it looked like Leona had fallen into her little zone of working. Flipping through pages and eager to show them off.

So he wasn't really going to pull her away from that.

Despite how he looked, Gasper didn't seem that uncomfortable.

Any interaction the boy could get was some good interaction.

He turned back to Koneko and rolled his lips.

"...Wanna make a paper airplane?"

The white haired girl sent him a long look, then took a loud crunch of the crisp, all while keeping eye contact with him. Then she slowly shook her head from side to side before she stopped, her eyes darted back to him and then narrowed just a little.

Something whirled around in there, something ponderous.

Then she hummed and tilted her head. "What do I get if I win?"

"...Win?"

"Mmmmh." A single nod. "If mine flies further."

He hadn't been thinking about competing in the first place, let alone handing out prizes for whomever was launching them furthest. For starters, he wasn't going to get a prize if he won. Nor would he really expect one.

…Eh, what the heck?

"I'm sure I've got a cookie or something-"

"What type?"

…Why did it feel as though she was already expecting she would win?

"...Triple chocolate."

"Mmmmh."

Her face shifted, she leaned back and looked away from him. Assuming the posture of someone who was in some deep and mind raking thought. Rather than debating whether or not to enter a paper throwing competition for a single cookie. Then she nodded her head once and turned back to him, hand reaching across to one of the spare sheets of paper and pulling it off the desk and towards herself.

"Deal."

Even without saying that, she was already quick at work in making the plane.

He found himself staring for a couple seconds longer before he realised she had gotten ahead of him.

Then he made a strangled noise and picked up his own sheet, it had been a while since he did something like this, so that would serve as his excuse if he ended up losing to Koneko.

Which he probably would.

She was doing rather well with the folding, even out of the corner of his eye he was stopping just to marvel at the speed she was moving. It was almost frightening and he could feel the sting of the missing cookie already.

Was that cynical?

No, surely not-

Ah.

Wait.

He'd been had.

She had super strength.

"Hey…"

"Mmmmh?"

"...You're not gonna use your super strength, are you?"

"Mh."

What was that supposed to mean? Was that a yes or a no?

Eh, whatever.

He wasn't that bothered and he refused to let himself be intimidated by a girl nearly half his age, even if he was going to lose. He didn't particularly mind it, and it was just a bit of harmless fun.

"So when you win-"

"Cynical."

"You have super strength. I bet you could just have a regular sheet of paper and throw it further than I could send my best plane."

Koneko paused midway through the next fold and looked towards him, then she reached across and jabbed a finger into his forearm. He jerked it away on instinct and stared at her with raised brows and wide eyes.

"Cynical." She repeated again, drawing her hand back and continued folding. "Won't cheat."

That was nice of her to admit.

"...You're still probably going to-"

Koneko held up the finger again in a menacing fashion, her eyes promising a repeat of earlier.

Romani fell silent and held up his hands, now thoroughly bullied into accepting that he might win this.

…Pffft.

"Alright." He smiled despite himself, shaking his head from side to side and folding along. "You win…I might have a chance."

Koneko gave a single satisfied hum coupled with a sharp nod, then went right back to work.

Once more he spared a glance over his shoulder towards Leona and Gasper, then stopped at the design and squinted hard across the room.

"Leo?"

His wife didn't seem to hear him at first as she pointed to the paper, then glanced across the room towards him and tilted her head. "Yes?"

"...Is that a dog collar?"

He really hoped that he was wrong there.

Leona flattened her features and dropped her arms down, then let out an incredulous breath and rolled her eyes. "No, Roman. It's a choker, there is a difference between the two of them. Besides, Gasper was telling me about how much he likes these sorts of clothes so I was working that into a design."

"...I don't get it."

She smiled as if she had been expecting that answer. "I know Roman."

It was incredible that she could speak as if she was patting his head despite being across the room, talking as though this was something that everyone knew about except for him. Like some inside joke.

He turned back to Koneko and shrugged his shoulders.

She just glanced past him then grunted. "Looks cute."

"It does, doesn't it?" Gasper whispered a little, then a bit louder and with a touch more excitement. "I like the little time symbol on it…what does it do?"

"Ah-ha!"

Romani chuckled at the tone, it was one he recognised well enough. Leaning towards Koneko, he jerked his head over his shoulder as already the words came tumbling out of Leona at high speed. "They're going to be at that for a while. He's got her going now."

Koneko was just watching with furrowed brows, clearly trying to follow along before she evidently gave up, her head turned back to the plane and then stopped moving. Raising her hands and showing off a textbook paper airplane.

With a faint hum, the girl looked at him. "...She's going to help Ga-kun?"

"Leo? Of course she will."

Something he could say with absolute confidence, puffing out his chest ever so slightly and smiling with certainty. It might have been an odd look for him, judging by the way Koneko was now staring at him as if he had grown a second head or something. Slowly, she tilted her own head to the side and hummed.

"...If you say so."

That sounded like some weird hidden message or something.

Well, he was sure it was fine.

"Gasper-kun will be alright." Romani waved his hand, as though the action itself would wave away whatever worries she currently had. "He's a brave kid and Leo knows what she's doing with this sort of thing…I remember when she first made my watch as well."

He held up the wrist in question and showed off the watch to the girl.

"She was sitting me down and explaining for a little over an hour about how everything works with it-"

"And I'm certain you didn't remember a single thing!~"

Despite it, she sounded amused by the criticism. Romani chuckled once more and glanced over his shoulder, she was giving him a playful look of reproach out of the corner of her eye as she jotted down some more notes into her sketchbook.

Well, he couldn't really deny that.

So he just shrugged and accepted it, smiling all the while. "I know that it tells the time and can do some other things."

Leona rolled her eyes once more. "It does also tell the temperature as well, you know?"

He stopped.

Then he blinked.

Then looked back at the watch.

"...Wait, it does?"

Leona just laughed, he could feel some heat crawl up his cheeks rather rapidly. Koneko was just giving him a look that oozed resignation. At the stare he felt himself heat up a little faster and then move swiftly to complete the paper plane. The sooner he got that done the sooner they could just step into the hall and start throwing them.

Another pause, then he glanced at the girl.

"...Please don't tell Sona-san about this." A beat, then he continued on. "Or Rias-san or Akeno-san. They'd never let me hear the end of it if they found out what I was doing."

Koneko gave a single slow blink.

Then looked at him like he'd just said something stupid before shaking her head and huffing out a faint breath.

He supposed that was acceptance, or as close to it as he was going to get.

"And that was when you arrived."

With that done, Buchou returned to the lineup with Sona-Kaichou right behind her.

Silence pervaded through the room in the wake of the story for a couple of seconds, Issei could feel himself grimacing slightly after the mention of what Roman-sensei had done. Keeping it secret from these guys had never been a thing, it was all but common knowledge by now, but it was still something that the nurse probably would freak out about.

At least the future vision was still a secret.

"Thank you." Sirzechs inclined his head ever so slightly towards Buchou, then turned on the room once more. "I believe that should suffice as suitable evidence that it serves to be in our best interests if we were to band together when facing threats which stand in opposition to all of us."

Azazel rumbled something that sounded like an agreement, but the man was just sitting there without saying a single word. Probably knowing everything there was to know about it by this point.

"I concur." Michael was more vocal with an agreement. "And I would extend my gratitude in person to the brave Devils behind you who aided our forces during the battle against Fabro Rowan…It is troubling that he evaded us for so long, I shall admit. Yet at least we are aware of him now and were able to stop him before he could obtain a far more dangerous prize."

For a brief moment, the eyes of the Archangel flickered towards him before moving away.

Issei shuddered slightly at the mention of it.

"Though I believe that there is a far more pressing issue at hand."

Michael turned towards Azazel.

"Kokabiel's motives remain my concern."

"Ho~?"

"He acted this way clearly out of a belief that you were mistaken." The Archangel frowned lightly. "I find myself concerned that he was not alone with these beliefs and that there are a great many others who could hold similar notions to disrupt peace."

Azazel let out a dry snort. "Kokabiel was always frustrated when I decided to pull back. He believed that we had been on a roll towards the end of the war…Though between the recovery of the Crimson Moon Fiasco and the Heavenly Dragons…not to mention the Satans attack on Heaven itself, we were hardly going to pull anything off."

He raised a hand and ran it through his head, his expression shifted as it did so.

For a second, all Issei could really see was some tired old man.

"...I've never much cared for War and I wasn't committed to dooming us to extinction on the off chance we might have won. Kokabiel was a victory or death guy. If he has any pals, they're not exactly in a rush to openly support his views…especially not after he was just murdered by a completely separate entity to the Angels and the Devils."

The hand dropped down and he offered a coy smirk. "And if they're stupid enough to try and cause problems, then they make my job easier by just revealing themselves."

Something in the room shifted.

The eyes of Azazel sharpened and Issei felt something go strange, as though there was now some dangerous glint in them.

"And why is this aimed solely towards me? I can't imagine that your factions are exactly united on this either, are they?"

His head turned towards Michael. "Or have you told the Burial Agency what you're out here doing?"

Michael straightened immediately.

His face set in stone, but the reaction spoke of a sudden awareness.

"Or you."

Azazel turned on Sirzechs and Serafall.

"Isn't there some nasty business between you and those who are still a little bitter about who won that civil war of yours? If they still can't stomach the idea of reincarnated devils, they're going to be frothing at the mouth when you just casually reveal to them that you've signed a peace treaty with the Angels and Grigori."

Issei twitched his lips at the tone of voice, more politics but even to him it just sounded like a 'oh yeah? Well what about you?' and in a rather mirthful sort of way. His eyes glanced over the trio in the wake of the reaction and kept his face still. Michael still had yet to say anything but he looked to be a little uncomfortable, all while Sirzechs and Serafall hadn't actually moved.

With his back to him, Issei couldn't see what sort of face the Lucifer was making, though he could see a little bit of Serafall's.

And she didn't look all that pleased, wearing a face that looked close to a pout.

"Azazel."

The voice of the Lucifer came out firm and with a touch of warning.

"The conference is not related to those who have yet to act and return to a state of war. Whatever the Burial Agency or the old satan loyalists might do is-"

He was interrupted by the louder laughter of the fallen Angel, not quite obnoxious but not far off.

Leaning back, the Fallen brought up his hands and waved them up and down, "Of course, we're not here to discuss all these hypotheticals, are we? Besides, I'm sure you guys will have your hands full with all of them without me getting in and throwing forth a couple of jabs here and there…"

His arms lowered down and rested on the table, the smug grin returned.

"So then, perhaps we should just cut out all of this small talk between us and get to signing?"

Issei gave a slow blink.

A loud cracking sound filled the room.

His eyes darted back towards Tezcatlipoca.

The blonde was eating the crisps again and very loudly at that, an expression that betrayed none of his true thoughts. He took yet another crisp from the tube in his hands and crunched loudly upon it. Uncaring as to how it might have looked or whether he was interrupting. Or perhaps that was what he was after all along.

Pulling his hand away, the God wiped his fingers on his jacket and then moved.

He stepped away from the wall.

The sound of a lone footstep brought silence.

Issei felt his breath catch in his throat, the attention of the room shifted immediately.

"...And what is that supposed to mean?"

It was a question phrased as a demand.

He wanted an answer and he would get an answer.

Issei's eyes lingered on the God before jerking towards Azazel and seeing how he was reacting, and for the first time he saw some glimmer of unease as he shifted in his chair. Turning himself slightly and looking over to the God in the corner. He inclined his head slightly in a short but respectful nod before he replied.

"What I mean to say is that I have it on good authority these guys have already been working on peace in the first place between all of them…or did you think I wouldn't notice her in the corner of the room?"

It was a lazy wave in the direction of…

Issei furrowed his brows in confusion, more so when the twin-tailed girl locked up on the spot at suddenly having a dozen sets of eyes fall on her.

"Oh…So that's how it is."

It was a tone of voice without emotion.

"...You couldn't even wait to sign a treaty before you started this stuff, eh? How long was that in the works?"

Tezcatlipoca stepped forwards once more, pringles tube held loosely by his side as he looked very close to glaring between Michael and the Satans.

"How many of your guys still believed they were in conflict while you were just palling around behind the works? Don't give me that ceasefire shit before you start. As if you didn't know any one of them would have gutted the other if they laid eyes on them."

Michael rose.

The movement of the chair scraping along the floor was like a jet engine.

"I required proof of concept." The Angel explained something, Issei didn't know what was happening. "And I was unsure as to the length of time it would take. I had no way of knowing whether or not it would be completed before the peace conference started…yet I had hoped it would serve as proof to my brothers and sisters as to what we might accomplish if we worked together."

"...Uh-huh."

Tezcatlipoca grunted and tilted his head.

"That's the line you're going with, is it?"

"Doth thou intend to press the issue, Lord of Smoking Glass?"

The Grim reaper spoke up.

Issei looked between them, the tension rising higher and higher.

All at once, it just dissipated as the God turned away and stalked back to the wall, throwing out his free hand and shaking his head. "Just not a big fan of lies like that. Especially given you've still got all those people believing that they're fighting for something. For someone…who it turns out is dead."

He turned around and leaned against the wall.

"Because that's just scummy."

"It was not done with intention to insult them-"

"And?" Tezcatlipoca sounded utterly uncaring, he sharply waved a hand towards Michael. "Carry on with whatever you were doing then. This is your show after all, I'm just sitting on the sidelines and watching this trainwreck."

Michael slowly lowered himself back down and turned towards Azazel. "I shall admit that we began talks with the Devils before the olive branch was extended towards you. Though they were the most immediately aggressive faction and I believed it would be more time consuming to put to rest a long standing rivalry than with estranged brothers and sisters."

Azazel grunted. "Ah, so you just thought it would be easier with us then, did you?"

"I make an assumption based on what I know of you, yes."

"...I can't really fault you on that."

Michael let out a breath and nodded his head, seemingly pleased with the answer he heard. "It began as an initiative to formally end disputes between us and enter a neutral state with one another…given that the leaders of our two factions during the length of the War are…no longer around."

Issei glanced at Asia and grimaced immediately, his hand curled into a fist as she slowly looked down towards the ground. It was a rather sad state for her to be in and the mere fact she felt like that hurt him. Though he noticed something just behind her as well, Xenovia was looking across the room with some trace amount of surprise.

But it very quickly fell away into grim acceptance.

Then her eyes closed as well and she turned.

Issei followed her line of sight towards Irina, who looked rather…sad but unsurprised as well.

Guess she had been told about that before coming here.

Which meant it was a thing that had happened, after all of the hearsay about whether God was actually dead or not.

…He was dead.

…Was it wrong that he worried more about how that would make Asia feel than anything else? He wasn't all that sure. He'd never given much thought towards the guy before he became a Devil and even after, it had never been a pressing concern for him.

"-ou two just hit it off did you?"

The conversation flowed without his attention on it, but he quickly found himself back in the room as Azazel sent a comment across the table. Either aiming for a laugh or just trying to be some sort of ass.

He wasn't sure which, but the cringe on the face of the Fallen Angel behind Azazel - Penny - indicated that he was just trying for the latter.

Something Issei was very quickly figuring out was just some default personality of his or something.

"We held a shared interest in not starting wars where there did not need to be one." Sirzechs responded, not rising to the jab. "The Great War was proof that our factions were rather equally matched and it would be impossible to secure a victory…as any group who emerged from the aftermath would be doomed for extinction all the same. The Satans were dead, Heaven had lost their leader and as for the Fallen Angels…"

He trailed off, gesturing towards Azazel.

The Grigori's expression dimmed a little and he nodded his head. "Yeah. We weren't really the largest faction even before it all kicked off. Not like we're going to be filling up all the seats at a concert now."

"...Quite."

With a smack of the lips, Azazel reached up and scratched his temples before pulling his hand down and nodding his head. "We'll. At least we can all agree that fighting is really not what any of us want anymore. Peace stands in our best interests but at the same time, there is one little matter that we also need to put to rest."

Issei raised a brow.

Then jolted when the man was suddenly pointing towards him.

"...The matter of the Red and White Dragon Emperors."

Romani let the plane slip from his hands, watching it glide down the hallway before it made a sharp turn and struck a fire extinguisher.

It actually managed to travel a bit further than he would have thought, but it was still fairly decent. Not the best throw in the world, but not the worst. With a satisfied hum, he retreated back and let Koneko step forwards. Holding up her own little plane, she drew her arm back and then snapped it forwards, releasing the plane down the hall.

The two of them watched it fly a bit straighter and with a touch more height.

He could already tell what was going to happen.

The plane just moved past his own and for perhaps a metre ahead before it hit the ground.

"Alright then-"

"Two of three."

Her words overlapped his own, but he made out what she said. Slowly, he turned his head and looked down at her, raising his brows as he did so. A rather weird thing for her to say, especially because he would have been fine with saying that she won here. Really, she was just making more work for herself.

Romani grunted and then tilted his head. "I'm fine with calling it-"

"Two of three."

Again, this time she sent him a pointed look.

He snorted and raised his hands in surrender before he turned and made his way down the corridor to the landing sight of his plane. Reaching out and picking it up, Koneko moved past him and towards her own.

"You know I could win now, right?"

Koneko only hummed as a means of an answer.

He wasn't quite sure what to make of that.

Oh well.

He leaned back and gestured for her to go first, something she did without argument. Stepping forwards and pulling her arm back once again, then twitching her wrist and sending the plane down the hall, about the same distance as last time as well.

When she retreated, he stepped up.

Holding it up, he pulled his arm back a little and then swung it forwards, letting the plane fly and immediately, he leaned forwards to squint at it.

It was moving pretty good.

He might actually win this one.

Though such thoughts of victory came to an abrupt halt as it rather suddenly made a sharp swerve and crashed into the wall. The hopeful expression slipped clean off his face as he leaned back and blinked several times at the plane which now lay upon the floor, much like his hopes of victory.

That being said, it was pretty fun.

"Alright then." He nodded to himself, then looked to the girl who was similarly staring at his plane, though her frown was more noticeable.

Was she expecting something else to happen?

"Come on." He walked forwards and took up his plane, then turned to the girl as she retrieved her own once again. "Lets get you your prize."

"Hmmm."

She looked a bit disappointed, was she competitive?

"Don't feel too bad." She looked at him as he spoke, he made for a comforting smile. "I'm hardly the best person to compete against…"

He looked up and trailed off, squinting down the hallway at the movement far enough away from him and through the doors, but he still caught it.

The little flash of familiar green.

"Lev?"

"Hm?"

The hum of Koneko went unanswered as Romani frowned a little, then rolled his jaw.

He wouldn't have thought Lev to still be in school, or anyone else for that matter. So it was a bit weird that the man was here at all…unless his eyes were playing tricks on him and he was just imagining something?

…No, that didn't feel quite right.

"I'll be along in a minute." Romani handed the paper plane to Koneko and started down the hallway after where he had seen the movement. "The cookie is in the first drawer on the right, just towards the back of it. Can't miss it."

He didn't hear a response from her, nor did he hear the door of the nurses office open or close, but he wasn't paying much attention to that, he was just moving forwards and-

A sharp pain heralded a flash through his eyes.

It's a click and a hum.

The figure dances their fingers along the keys, each stroke with a faint tap.

Their hand returns and the screen flashes, immediately there is the silent beeping of numbers counting down. Crimson numbers flash as the seconds drop from sixty.

With a turn, the figure departs with a hum and a smile on their face.

Yet he stares at the box of counting numbers with grim horror.

…It is a bomb.

Romani staggered, a hand shot out and braced against the wall, he reached up and pressed his other flat against his eyes.

The pain wasn't as bad as before, but it mattered little to him.

…He recognised that room.

Snapping his head up, Romani immediately carried himself forwards through teared soaked eyes and marched with greater speed. Swerving through the hallways and darting around the corridor, descending down the stairs with movement that was almost akin to a run but not quite there.

He was just moving as fast as his feet would carry him without giving thought to it.

Long having forgotten who he was even chasing.

Romani turned and eyed the door, the stationary cupboard which was directly beneath the meeting hall about their heads.

It was the hall where governors and other school officials would meet.

He stalked forwards slowly until he was right in front of the door.

His hand hovered above the handle, unwilling to touch it, as though it would be scalding hot for him. As if the mere second he touched the metal it would sear itself against his flesh.

…But the vision lingered.

He should go back and tell Leona about this, it would be sensible for him to do so.

Yes.

That was it, he would go back and tell Leona about the vision he had just seen.

He pulled his hand away from the door and turned-

He stopped.

"Goodness me, Roman. You look rather out of sorts don't you?"

Lev stood right in front of him, a cordial smile on his face and hands folded behind his back. Though the smile shifted into a look of concern, then man's eyes opened ever so slightly to sweep up and down. "Are you alright? I meant it in jest but you seem to be a little ill…especially if you're going looking in…"

A short glance over his shoulder before the answer came.

"Stationery cupboards. I doubt you'll find many bandages in there."

Romani swallowed the lump in his throat and relaxed. "Sorry, I just thought I saw you for a moment and…you just freaked me out there."

He placed a hand over his heart and tried to calm his steadying nerves. "How come you're still here? I thought everyone else had gone home."

Lev raised a bemused brow. "I might ask the same as you. I'm aware of no clubs that need your supervision nor require your medical aid…but I was staying behind late to take care of some last minute business."

A chuckle and a wave of the hand. "It wasn't anything too serious, mind you. Just slotting something away for later and then I would be away."

Romani gave a nervous chuckle at that, the vision flashing through his eyes once again.

"Yeah." A quick glance for the cupboard and then back towards Lev. "I won't keep you then if you're looking to go. Probably best to get some rest for tomorrow, right? Busy day and all of that…hehe…"

Lev gave a single slow blink.

"Quite."

His tone went strange, distant.

"Tell me, Romani…"

The way he spoke turned cold, despite the smile lingering on his face.

"Why were you going into the cupboard?"

Romani froze up, searching for an answer. "W-well…uhm…"

He didn't want to say it was because he thought there was a bomb in there, because that would be ridiculous.

"I thought…uhm…you might be in there."

"Ah, of course." Lev nodded his head in understanding, "My mistake, I just spotted you looking at the door as if it were to burst into flames or try to attack you. So I was a bit curious as to what you thought was in there. I can't be that fearsome, can I?"

A chuckle rippled in the back of his throat, a mixture of mirth and nervousness.

Yeah, he probably did look a bit weird.

He glanced at the cupboard once again and then back to Lev. "Long day…just a bit flighty at the moment. Sorry."

Raising a hand, Lev shook his head. "Not at all. I understand."

Lowering the hand, he pulled open his green blazer and reached into his inside pocket.

"I'm sure it wasn't because you were afraid of any bombs I was planting."

…

"...what?"

Lev glanced across to him, face blank.

Romani was sure his heart stopped.

Everything went cold.

"...What did you say?"

Lev gave no answer, instead he just closed his eyes and rolled his lips.

"H-how do you know about-? T-that's a bit weird for a joke…right?"

"Believe me, Roman."

Lev pulled his hand out of his blazer and stepped forwards.

"No one dislikes this joke more than I."

Romani flinched a little as Lev dropped a hand on his shoulder, then moved the other and pressed it against his chest.

He felt a sharp pain rather suddenly from his lungs.

"...guh…"

A gasp came from between his lips for some reason, Lev hadn't even touched him that hard, so what…?

…Why did it…?

Wh…?

The hand on his shoulder held him in place, fingers digging into him and becoming painful, Romani cringed and moved his hand up to…

Why were his limbs so sluggish?

The sharp pain burned a bit more now.

Romani looked down at where Lev's other hand was pressed against his-

He blinked.

Then he blinked again.

That was strange, it almost looked as though Lev was holding a knife.

But that didn't make sense because he could only see the handle of it, the sleek plastic thing that looked right from a kitchen set or something. Pressed flat against his right side just around his lung, but he couldn't see the blade.

Why was Lev poking him with the handle of a knife?

What was he…

Romani blinked again, his knees feeling a little heavier than before…

…Why was his shirt wet?

His left hand came up and his fingers awkwardly prodded around the point where the knife handle met his shirt, then pulled them away and stared at them.

They were red.

Why were the tips of his fingers…?

He looked back up towards Lev.

The man looked back at him with only a sense of sorrow.

"...I am sorry, Roman." He whispered with such sadness. "But…you truly do see far too much."