NO CHILL! (High School DxD - Human SI Chapter 7)
Alisa Monk was pacing around in worry after her master, Lord Adam, or rather Kenji as he liked to be called in this life, had left.
She had tried to run after him of course, but by the time she got out of the building, Kenji was already at the horizon.
Alisa had many thoughts in her head. First, what did Kenji mean by 'he just reached puberty'? Second, how would he even know?
"Huwaaa, huwaa, huwaa, huwaaa." The red faced Isabella was holding her head in her hands, trying to contain herself, but it was obvious she was overwhelmed by the revelation. Her eyes almost seemed like swirls from how filled up she was with confusion, embarrassment and maybe even shy desire.
Given that it was Alisa and Isabella were the last two to speak, it stood to reason that... maybe their looks was what made Lord Kenji think so?
Alisa felt her face fire up again, for who knows how many times in the last half hour. She shook her head to refocus her thoughts again.
What did it mean for Kenji to declare that? And how would things be different if it was true?
Maybe Lord Kenji was just thinking out loud? He tends to do that a lot. Alisa thought.
"Um, Ms. Alisa?" A normally authoritative, but now timid voice called out.
Alisa looked to see it was her... Former Queen.
Charity Antal was Diodora's former Queen Piece. And while the former Holy Maiden and Queen broke under that filthy devil's care, her method of coping was by acting as an enabler for him.
Once saved, once given the chance, she broke again, falling down completely in her guilt and remorse, as she sought to service Kenji as a form of penance.
Alisa still harbored some resentment for Chairty, Diodora Astaroth's Queen. Yet, the woman before her was almost like a frightful lamb, tiptoeing everywhere she went.
"What is it, Charity? Also didn't we all agree to not act like strangers?" Alisa said back, referencing herself and the other former sisters and forced Peerage members.
Charity flinched. "Right, right. Of course." She took a moment to collect herself. "The others... everyone is waiting at the dining room to discuss, um, you know."
"Oh, okay." Alisa's eyes widened in understand. Yeah, she should have done that, rather than pace around in worry. "Let's go then. Isabella, come on. Meeting." Alisa said out loud, forcing Isabella from her spiraling thought, and stopped the creepy smile that was forming on her face, making the former Bishop self conscious again.
At the dining table was most of Diodora's former Peerage. Some had chosen to seek quiet lives away from anything related to the supernatural, and especially the church. Some felt they could contribute more acting as freelancer, wandering knights, exorcists, or healers helping those who need it in the world.
The rest of those present felt they couldn't leave Lord Adam's, Kenji's side and wanted to repay him for the salvation he brought them.
Alisa sat at the head of the table, not something intentional but the sisters did seem to see her as Kenji's second, to defer to her when he wasn't around.
To Alisa's right was Sile Sullivan.
The Irish woman was a Former Rook and owned the dojo building on the other side of Kenji's house, providing a place for training. Not just for Kenji but all the former Holy Maidens so that they may be ready to help Kenji when he needed it.
Next to Sile was Rasha Al-Badr.
Rasha was an Egyptian Holy Maiden that loved nothing more than to help and heal others. She was almost too willing to help and save others, even to the detriment of herself. Even her Sacred Gear seemed to encourage this behavior.
Sanctified Stigmata, the Hallowed Blood Salvation of Ills, was a Sacred Gear that was Rasha's blood itself. Her blood was a panacea that could cure all illnesses, no matter what they were, even the Devil's infamous Sleeping Diseases. She could also heal all wounds, and restore one's spirit even from the depth of despair. Of course Diodora instantly wished to have her for himself, as she was a very useful pawn. In the literal sense of being a toy to that Devil and a Former Pawn.
Of course, her power wasn't without a price. In order to use her Sacred Gear she had to bleed to use this power. She even held scars on her arms and forehead from how many times she was forced to reopen those wounds. She covered her arms with elbow length gloves. She wanted to the do the same to her face, but Kenji had commented that her scar made her look "cool", thus she held that one up with pride.
However above all, while Rasha wished to be by Kenji's side, she never wants to heal anything ever again.
On Alisa's left was Isabella, still sitting red-faced, and next to her was Charity, and finally next to Charity was Hina Taliah, another Former Pawn.
Hina, the Syrian Nun and Former Pawn was... adaptable. That was all Alisa could say about her. Somehow she never seemed bothered by living with the Astaroth Devil. Yet oddly Diodora didn't care to 'play' with her any more than he'd normally would with the other former nuns. Almost like he was disappointed in how easy it was to "break" her. If she ever actually was.
Alisa wasn't sure if Hina stayed with Kenji out of gratitude, a sense of wanting to repay him, or... Well, just plainly wanting to "repay" him. Alisa wanted the former Pawn to begone, but she was relatively harmless, and Kenji didn't mind having her around, so Alisa relented.
Hina usually kept to herself, but... Well, today's topic was likely to be the one that she would be most engage in.
"Where's Cecilia?" Alisa asked. Cecilia, of course, was another of their group, a former, well current nun and Former Bishop of Diodora.
"She said she's not coming," Rasha answered. "She said, she's gonna stay at the rebuilt church, as she's still doing her rounds, and that while hilarious, this topic isn't so serious that she needs drop everything and come here."
"Not serious? Our Lord Kenji is hitting his, um, well you know." Sile started with enthusiasm before instantly losing steam. "It's an important time period, so we should, well..." A blushing Sile looked at Alisa for guidance.
Why are you looking at me for? I'm as clueless as you are! Alisa of course didn't say that but kept a stoic front.
"Lord Kenji is a Master Martial Artist. Not only that but he is too aware of his own spiritual and physical energies. It's not that surprising for him just recognize the signs of his body hitting that stage of development." Hina spoke up, putting the subject in some clear light, and to get things started.
"Then, um," Charity continued. "What matter is... what do we do about it?" She asked while looking around to see if that's the right question.
"S-S-So what do I-WE, we. What do we do?" Isabella squeaked.
"Or if we need to do anything at all." Hina added.
"Sometimes I forget that Lord Kenji is still a thirteen years old boy, due to how mature he is." Alisa said. "But he is a boy, a young man, as the ones with life experience, at least in that part of life, we should seek not just to protect and aid him as we have, but guide him when he needs it. Like right now."
"Does, err," Rasha spoke. "Does he even need our help? Kids these days have their computers, and Kenji is more knowledgeable than the average boy his age, so..." She then looked to the side, a blush coming to her. "The only thing we can really offer is, well..."
"Practical experience?" Hina said with a playful smirk.
And just like that, silence hit the table, as the bomb the sisters were dancing around was popped, by Hina just dropping it without care.
"H-H-Hina! What are you saying?" Isabella stuttered.
"I'm not saying anything." Hina playfully smiled back. "I'm simply voicing what's on our minds." No one really could argue. Lying is a sin after all. "We could also do nothing."
"Nothing?" Alisa asked.
"Nothing." Hina nodded. "So Kenji is growing up, he is becoming an adult and might be more interested in other activities than just studying magic and training. But he could just as easily not be interested at all, or even interested in boys instead of girls."
"Don't say that!" Isabella shouted, standing up as she nearly slammed her hands on the table. Her eyes wide and voice full of horror at the possible disappointment.
Then the pinked haired former nun, noticing the awkward stares, and one of the girls coughing in the background, and quickly sat covering her face with her arm.
Alisa patted the girl's head to comfort her.
"Um, but still... what do we do about this?" Charity added. "If we choose to do something?" She clarified.
"Would you all rather Lord Kenji desire our bodies or not?" Hina again spoke with all the subtlety as a hammer to frail glass.
"H-Hina!" Charity squeaked.
"H-How dare you imply that we'd try to, to, have se-defil-tempt-do that or take advantage of Lord Kenji's kindness?" Sile cried out in anger, even while blushing.
"I mean..." Rasha looked away.
Isabella was quiet in her thoughts before hiccupping at what imagination created.
"Hina, do you have to be that crass?" Alisa asked with a sigh.
"I'm just asking you all, what would you all rather do? If we're saying what would be the right thing to do, then it's to answer Kenji if he is confused, or has some questions about some concepts. But we all know that's not what this meeting is about?" And now Hina's innocent smile seemed predatory, even if it didn't change. "The point of this meeting is to determine what will we do, if Kenji became attracted to us, or any of the women in his life. Should he exclusively date that girl? Should we all offer ourselves to Kenji, asking to become his women?" Red-beet faces all around again. "Or should we simply ask him to leave all that intimacy and relationship stuff till he's older? And so on." Hina's smile now had a kinder touch to it. "It's importantly to lay all this out on the table now. Lying to ourselves would be the worst mistake, so it's best to just be honest on what do we want out of this relationship with Kenji?"
"And what is it do you want, Hina?" Alisa said, almost challengingly.
"I want him to be happy." Hina said with a small smile. "No matter the outcome, or his choices, I just want that boy to be happy. For the hope he gave us, only offering him my everything for his happiness would suffice."
The room fell quiet after that. Hina's words and their sincerity, did resonate with the other former Peerage members. Maybe not to the same degree, or the same way, but in a similar sentiment all the same.
What do I want from being by Lord Kenji's side?
That was the question that rang on all the present former Reincarnated Devils' and Holy Maidens' minds.
Thus they simply contemplated that question in silence.
And naturally that silence was shattered after a while.
A ball of light and wind swirled and appeared above the dining table.
"Hey, Alisa, you and the others are there, right?" Kenji's voice echoed out of the communication spell. The former nuns quickly headed there.
"Kenji! Y-Yes, what is it? Are you alright? Are you in danger? Do you need help?" Alisa quickly asked in a mother hen way.
"Yeah, it's all good. Ended up meeting some Onmyoji guys from the Five Principle Clans, really Young Master-types. Heh. Anyways, there's kind of a complicated situation. You know that Aloha boat thing, where 233 kids died? Turns out, nope, they didn't die." Kenji explained. "Some group called the 'Utsusemi Agency' made up of people thrown out of the Five Clans, had kidnapped them and experimented on them to make Fake version of Independent-Type Sacred Gears. The kids used are more like puppets to the monsters linked to them, their mind kinda brainwashed, and not all there. That organization also likely kidnapped those kids' parents or relatives. Can one of you check that, just in case?" Rasha immediately got a laptop and started to do so. "Anyways, found one of those Utsusemi kids, they were hunted down by some Doumon guy, real prick. Was going to kill the kid after he defeated the linked monster, because clan 'pride' or 'honor' or some shit. I stopped Doumon Dude, got the kid and healed him."
"Where are you, Kenji? Tell me and we'll head to assist you right away." Alisa said.
"Nah, this whole thing is way too easy. I wanted to try out the Onmyoji spells and see what they're like. I just need you to look after the kid, and the others I'm likely to find till I get back. Use the dojo since I'll try to find all 233 students, as well as their parents or guardians taken by the Utsusemi Agency."
"We hear and obey, Lord Kenji. We'll ready the dojo right away." Sile said promptly.
"Gee, Sile, I told you to cut it out with the 'Lord'."
"R-right, sorry." Sile said, looking down for a moment.
"Alright, thanks girls." All the women present smiled despite themselves, at their savior gratitude. "Now I have to go-Oh! Neat combination attack. The mana circles between the five elements and get amplified with each cycle, till it is fired by the spell group's leader. Although they really shouldn't have went with Earth on top of a building, away from the, well, ground. They really didn't think though. Hmm, I almost figured out everything about Shinto Magic but something feels missing..."
"...Kenji?" Alisa spoke. "Please don't daydream mid-battle and forget to fight." She advise.
The group reached the dojo, then the ball of light expanded, and the body to a sleeping teenager appeared on the floor. One of the former nuns, went and moved him to the side, while getting a pillow for their head. Isabella realized they will need a lot of pillow and blankets, and set about with Charity and Hina to make some magic constructs, from that 'Projection' Magic, Kenji showed them. They were empty constructs but would work all the same, for this simple task.
"Nah, I do that automatically, even if I don't think about it. Anyways, just a second, let's see Wood overcomes Earth. Don't have wood around, no way, there's an apple in the fridge, right Alisa?" Kenji asked.
"Um..." Alisa blinked at the question.
"Yes there is! I saved you one, Lord Kenji!" Isabella cried out.
"Stop with the 'Lord', and thanks, Isabella." Kenji said back, and the girls felt his magic reach into the kitchen and teleport the apple to him.
"Alright then, gotta go, girls." Kenji said.
"Stay safe, Kenji." Alisa said, as did the other girls.
"Oh, and before I forget, I figured out what to do about the whole 'puberty' thing. I decided to just leave my optimized metabolism as is, and just deal with any urges or emotions with mindfulness meditation. Should be a good training. Whole thing should be done in a year and half, so you girls won't have to be bothered about me being awkward around you for that long. And don't worry, I'll be mindful around you so you don't feel bothered by me, and give you all your space." The ball of light and wind, turned into the shape of a thumbs up. "Later!"
"Wait, what?" Alisa blinked at that.
""NO!"" Almost all the rest of the girl except Hina and Rasha cried out.
Rasha just pouted in disappointment, while Hina was giggling, trying not to laugh out loud.