1
The gentle rays of the sun shined down upon Oldora Forest.
Next to the forest lay Wildart City, the headquarters of the Moderates
Faction. The usual calmness of the forest today was disturbed by a
motley crew saying their goodbyes.
After the decisive battle that will shape the future of the Demon
World, there were those who had to go back to their own world, and
those who came to bid them farewell.
"Thanks for looking after us while we were here…. You really helped
me out a lot"
Naruse Mio, Yuki and the others bade their farewells to the young
maid Noel.
Noel gripped Mio's hand. Her voice betraying a tinge of sadness
"Mio-sama…Do you really have to return so soon?"
"Yea… I'm sorry Noel."
As Mio lightly squeezed back, Noel made one last attempt.
"But surely you don't have to rush back so soon…."
It has only been 2 days since the climactic battle between the
Moderate Faction and the Current Demon Lord faction. But said battle
was interrupted by the arrival of the Demon God Chaos. While
members of the Moderate Faction and the Demon Lord Faction were
able to team up to quash the chaos caused by the Demon Council, the
past two days mainly consisted of bed rest and meetings to discuss the
future of the Demon World.
"Noel, we appreciate your feelings. But we really do have to go."
Yuki said with a bit of sadness as well. Just like Mio, Yuki also
bonded with the young maid during her stay in Wildart City.
"We have already finished what we came here to do. So now we must
leave the Demon World as soon as possible."
Her younger sister Kurumi nodded in agreement.
"Yea…If we were to stay any longer, it'll just lead to more problems."
There were many reasons why Mio and her group had to head back to
the human world quickly. But one of the most pressing issues was
school. While the group came to the Demon World just when the day
changed from December 25th to December 26th, they have already spent
many days in the Demon World, which meant that the new semester had
already begun in the human world.
Mio and Basara have always prioritised to 'live like normal high
schoolers'. So while they could just use magic to alter their attendance
and school grades, doing so will betray the promise they made to each
other to 'protect their normal lives' and will further separate them from
normal humans.
There was also another problem with staying in the Demon World for
too long. Mio's contribution to the climactic battle between the
Moderate Faction and the Demon Lord Faction was no small feat. There
are already those within the Moderates Faction who are calling her a
hero and pushing for her to be the new leader of the Demon World.
The Demon Lord Faction and other groups were also quick to heed
caution to Mio's power and popularity and promptly requested a
ceasefire, which the Moderates accepted.
After the fight with Chaos, Ramusas didn't meet with Mio and her
group, but according to his second in command, Lucia, and Klaus the
Wise, there has been speculation that Leohart's goal was the downfall of
the old Demon Council. With that goal achieved, a peace treaty and a
military alliance between the Moderate Faction and the Demon Lord
Faction wasn't really a far-fetched idea.
That would require a bonding ceremony between Leohart, the
representative of the Demon Lord Faction, and Ramusas, the
representative of the Moderates Faction. But some are pushing for Mio
to take Ramusas' place in the bonding ceremony.
But unfortunately for them, Naruse Mio had absolutely no interest in
such a position. For she has already decided to dedicate the rest of her
life to a certain someone. She knew that this whole episode was but one
problem they solved in the Demon World. And with many more
problems to come for sure in the future, she really didn't want to make
any promises.
However, her feelings for that person will never change. That's why
during that climactic battle, she decided that she will live her life, not as
Wilbert's daughter, but as Naruse Mio. So to stay true to her words,
Mio had to get back to the human world as soon as possible. She just
didn't know how to break the news to hey friend Noel.
"Kyaaa!….?"
Just as Noel was trying to say something, she felt a small hand caress
her behind.
"Sheila-sama…"
A surprised Zest called the name of the succubus who was currently
fondling Noel's butt. With a teasing grin, Sheila spoke to the young
maid.
"You know… if you keep them waiting, a certain somebody is going
to get pretty angry at you~"
"I-I'm so sorry! I'll go and prepare the carriage!"
With a face as bright as a tomato, Noel rushed towards the horsedrawn carriage to make the preparations. Maria took Noel's departure as
a cue to ask her mother
"Um, mother…. I don't seem to see Lucia-neesama anywhere."
The reason why Maria asked was because it was Lucia who opened the
portal between the human world and the Demon World when they first
came here. Opening portals between the two worlds is not something
just anybody could do, and it was agreed upon that Maria would be
taking the group back to the human world. So without Lucia, there
wasn't much they could do to go back.
"Oh, Lucia is busy at the castle making final checks for the upcoming
'meeting' at the castle. She not only has to oversee the security detail but
also make contingency plans in case something pops up."
The meeting that Sheila was referring to was the meeting taking place
at the castle today between Ramusas and Leohart. Just like how Mio and
co are leaving early to ensure problems don't arise, the two
representatives also agreed to negotiate a peace treaty as quickly as they
could, and thus, this meeting was planned.
"Um, then who is going to help us get back to the human world…?"
"Oh, don't worry I'll handle that~"
Sheila answered Mio's question with her usual casualness only to have
Yuki give her a worried look.
"Um…you're going to do it Sheila-san?"
The succubus mother gave her trademark teasing smile.
"Don't worry. It was I who taught Lucia how to open portals between
the worlds in the first place. She's gotten a hang for it sure, but she still
has a long way to go before she's near my level, so rest assured, you guys
are safe with me."
"Well if mother is doing it then it's fine…"
With Maria showing her approval, Mio and the others had no
complaints either. After all, they all personally saw the quality and
efficiency of her portals during their stay in the city.
But Mio still had another question she had to ask the succubus.
"Um, Sheila-san…is Basara and Ramusas-san's talk taking longer than
expected?"
The reason why Basara wasn't here in Oldora Forest with them was
because he requested a word with Ramusas just before they departed
from the castle. While Basara was supposed to come to Oldora Forest by
Sheila's portals, the fact that she was here meant that he has to come to
the forest by other means.
Mio was worried about Basara. Their relationship with Ramsuas, if
you could even call it something like that, was far from good. In fact,
Basara has clashed with Ramusas many times in his short stay to the
point where he was ordered to stay in his room.
"Oh don't worry. We've come this far so I doubt they'd fight. They
probably just have a lot of serious stuff to talk about."
They all knew that Basara had something important to talk to
Ramusas about.
Because it was during the battle with Leohart and the Demon God
Chaos, that Basara was enveloped in the same red aura as Mio, and he
was also able to wield Gravity Magic for his sword to use a Gravity
Slash.
Those powers were apparently something Basara received from his
'mother'.
Basara told Mio and the others about this after the fight with Chaos.
He however, learned about his mother from Jin, before the climactic
battle. Therefore, he was able to keep that power as the ace up his sleeve.
He even had Sheila procure the medicine needed to help him control the
power.
It's no surprise that Basara would like to learn more about his mother
from Ramusas. Just like how Ramusas was Wilbert's older brother, he
was also the older brother of Basara's mother. That would, just like in
the case of Mio, make Ramusas Basara's uncle.
And this is a secret that must never be made public. The rumour mill
was already rife with speculation,possibly started from those who saw
Basara in action. For damage control, they tried to spread the rumour
that it was a side effect of a power enhancing medicine made by Sheila,
but that lie will easily be debunked if one was to check Basara's spiritual
energy patterns. This is definitely another reason for Mio to head back
to the human world as soon as possible.
"Don't worry. Everyone's interest in Basara is just a temporary thing.
While people might be interested in his background, there are more
pressing issues that the Demon World has to come to terms with, like
the summoning of Chaos and the massacre of the Demon Council
members. And with the peace negotiations being discussed between the
two factions, the Demon World really does have a lot on its plate right
now."
"So with everything going on at the Demon World. You guys will be
yesterday's news once you go back to the human world. Everyone will
be focused on Leohart and Ramusas. Honestly, I'm more worried about
you guys."
Mio couldn't hide her surprise.
"Huh….what do you mean?"
"Since Basara's talk will take a while longer, I guess I should talk to
you guys about it…"
Sheila, sporting a grim smile, continued.
"Let me tell you about the 'danger' that Basara carries…."
2
With the start of the meeting drawing near at Wildart Castle, Lucia
had already finished checking the security details of the day for the final
time. And so Lucia waited at the roof of the castle, taking in the sight of
the entire city below, while listening to the conversation of the two other
individuals on the roof with her.
"Please wait a minute. Then does that mean…."
"….Yes. It is most likely that we will no longer have anything to do
with each other after this."
Ramusas replied bluntly to Basara's question without even looking at
him. While Basara was staring at Ramusas' face, he was focused on
looking down to Wildart City below him.
What Ramusas just said was an idea that Lucia had already been told
of. The stance that the Moderate Faction will take against Basara and the
others from now on. Ramusas was now in the process of sharing the
news to Basara as well.
"As you guys are aware, you guys have the potential to become the
fuse that lights up the next conflict in the Demon World."
"And in a time where we are about to enter a military alliance with the
Demon Lord Faction, we cannot be seen to have connections with you
guys, as we cannot be in a situation where the other party may doubt
us."
"In order to prevent that, we will have to cut our ties with you.
However, to keep an eye out on you guys, I will still have Maria stay
with you. And if we add Zest to the mix, she will be a great asset in case
the need to defend yourself arises.
"In order to ensure fairness and transparency, the Demon Lord
Faction will most likely send an observer as well to keep an eye on you
guys. Do mind that they will only be doing so to prevent others from
taking advantage of you or to try and attack you. We all have to be
careful since that girl is carrying Wilbert's power."
"If any problem arises, the observers will immediately report it to
both the Moderate and Demon Lord Faction, then we will openly
discuss a solution."
What Ramusas was saying was that, both the Moderate and the
Demon Lord Faction was ready to intervene if something happened. For
that, Basara felt reassured.
"Thank you…That is reassuring."
"I think you are mistaking something."
Ramsuas spoke coldly while continuing to stare down on to the city
below.
"If the situation is dire and we are unable to rescue the girl, we will kill
the girl ourselves to prevent other parties from obtaining her powers."
Lucia watched the exchange with a bit of worry. While Basara
remained silent after hearing what Ramusas said, he had a slight smile in
the corner of his lips.
"You're really going to keep up the cold act to the very end huh…"
Letting out a bit of a sigh, Basara looked straight at Ramusas and said.
"Are you really going to part with Mio without telling her the truth?"
Finally, Ramusas turned around to face Basara.
"What do you mean…?"
His questions seemed to dig at the hidden intent behind Basara's
words. But Toujou Basara looked directly at Ramusas to speak his mind.
No… to speak what he believed to be the truth.
"This is just my speculation…. I don't have proof or anything."
"But your attitude and words towards Mio so far have been anything
but kind. No matter what kind of danger she faced, the only support you
ever sent was Maria. You avoided Mio to the point where some would
say that you left her out there to die."
"Someone told me that this was because you still felt bitter of your
younger brother Wilbert being chosen as the Demon Lord, so took out
your anger against his daughter, your niece. But this time, you
summoned Mio to the Demon World to try and extract her powers out
of her. You felt pressured to do so after opinions were raised to make
Mio the next Demon Lord when news broke out that she took down
Zolgear."
"While the supporters who wanted to make Mio the new Demon
Lord grew, you spoke out that you will be the one to get her powers. At
first glance, this really does look like the actions of a jealous older
brother who had his pride trampled on by his younger brother, but I
thought different once I saw the way Maria and Lucia-san interacted."
"Maria and I…?"
Lucia said confused, when Basara turned towards her.
"Yes. Before I came to the Demon World, someone who has always
given me good advice, told me to not be short sighted on an issue. She
told me to look at the bigger picture and to change the way you look at
things from time to time. And watching Maria and Lucia reminded of
that. They reminded me that their love for a family member comes in
different forms. It's not always just kindness. Meeting my dad over here
had me convinced me as well. Because that's what parents do. When
their kids are busy just trying to live day by day, the parents are making
sure that they guide their kids to a better future. "
Ramusas maintained his expression and silence, so nobody could stop
Basara from continuing.
"So I changed how I saw things. What if I were to think of your
actions up until now, not as things to soothe your damaged pride, but as
actions taken for Mio…."
"And when I did that everything suddenly connected. The late Demon
Lord Wilbert had his trusted subordinates act as parents and had Mio
grow up in the human world. What if he did this to make sure that his
daughter wasn't used as a political pawn? When I thought of it like that,
the actions you took seem to be an extension of what Lord Wilbert
started."
"The reason why you only sent Maria as the aide was to make sure
that she won't be recognized as the princess of the Moderate Faction,
and you yourself kept your distance from her to make sure that she was
never dragged into the politics of the Demon World. While Lord
Wilbert passed on his powers to Mio as a type of 'insurance' against
threats, that also made her a target to those who want her power. But I'm
sure you had a lot of backup plans to keep Mio safe as well. Like that
time with Zolgear, you gave permission for Maria to use her 'Key' if ever
she was in a pinch, but that's not all is it?"
"Lucia-san, when Maria reported to you about Sheila-san being
kidnapped by Zolgear and asked for your judgement, you told her to
remain committed to her task of protecting Mio right?"
Lucia's expression hardened slightly and she kept her silence, but
Basara knew that they were cues that he was getting closer to the hidden
truth. So with that confidence, he pressed on without breaking eye
contact with Ramusas.
"But you said that not because you gave up on your mother, but
because Sheila-san purposely got herself caught, am I right?"
"This is Sheila-san we are talking about. She's capable of making
portals that even you and Lucia-san can't detect. Since Zolgear had held
her hostage in another building, she would have had ample opportunity
to escape whenever she wanted."
"But she didn't. Because she knew about Zolgear's unhealthy
obsession with Mio. So she made sure that she was right in the belly of
the beast, in case Zolgear succeeded with his plans to lure Mio to his
playground. And Lucia-san, who knew of Sheila-san's intention, kept
that from Maria and also made sure to report to you about what was
happening."
"So up until the part where Zolgear was able to catch Mio was part of
your plan, but then, everything backfired. You didn't expect us to
actually defeat Zolgear. And that shifted everyone's attention to Mio.
And so, to prevent Mio from being turned into a political tool, you
suggested to extract Mio's power from her."
"Of course the risks were high. You knew that extracting her powers
from her will turn her into a defenseless, normal human girl, but you
knew that we were there to look out for her and protect her. And you
also knew that Mio, without her powers, wasn't really worth a hostage
for your enemies who might try to use her as a bargaining chip against
you."
"So you were going to take her powers and have us protect her in the
human world, while you sorted out all the problems here in the Demon
World. But before you could do all of that, the Current Demon Lord
Faction attacked with their Spirits and we were involved dragged into
battle once again."
"But my theory left me with more questions you know?"
"It's about the timing in which you appeared in front of the Moderate
Faction and about your attitude against Mio. If we are to go with my
theory and assume that you are in fact, the uncle that is honouring his
brother's wishes and looking after his niece, it wouldn't make sense for
you to clash with Klaus and the others within the same faction. If all you
wanted to do was to distance Mio from politics, you could have always
confronted and talked to Klaus and co about it."
"Have you perhaps considered that you have these questions because
your theories are wrong?"
Just as Ramusas broke his silence for the first time, Basara cut back in
quickly.
"They aren't."
"Back then when you threw yourself in front of Chaos to protect Mio
and when you held her after she lost consciousness from using Wilbert's
power, that face you had back then when you did that, and your feelings,
were all genuine."
"So this is what I think. The reason you are acting distant is not
because you wanted to, but because you had to."
"The Moderate Faction used to be the biggest force in the Demon
World. But those who joined forces with Wilbert didn't do so because
they shared his belief for peace. They joined him because they were awed
by his sheer charisma and power. And the soldiers who supported
Wilbert didn't want a peace treaty, but urged Wilbert to take over the
entire Demon World and have it under the control of the Moderate
Faction right?"
This was true. Wilbert's charisma was unparalleled, and when he took
the throne, his followers were worshipping and kissing his every
footstep. But the worship towards Wilbert, expressed by his followers,
was the biggest burden placed on him. For his desire for peace in the
Demon World was interpreted by his followers as his wish to control
the entire Demon World. In a sense, it wasn't so much as 'peace' in the
world, but domination through power and numbers by the Moderate
Faction."
"And with his control over his radicalized followers waning, and the
influence of the Demon Council creeping up on him, Wilbert decided
on the best way to stop the coming conflict: It was for him to
disappear."
"But he had to disappear in a way that would protect the Moderate
Faction from forces that might try to wrestle power from them. That
meant that he couldn't die in battle or die in an accident, as the latter
would result in a wild witch hunt. Instead, he went with an illness, as
that would have been the most convincing. So after sending Mio to the
human world with his trusted subordinates, he watched her growth from
the Demon World, and when he saw the opportunity, he faked his
death, and came back as another being."
Basara took a breath and faced Ramusas head on.
"He faked his own death to see how the Moderate Faction will change,
to see whether they would spiral out of control with their bloodlust and
ambitions, and he also had to observe how the Demon Council will
make their move. That's what I believe to be the truth."
3
"The danger that Basara carries…?"
Nonaka Yuki frowned at Sheila's warning. Sheila saw the other girls
with worried expressions on their faces.
"Basara-kun's contribution this time around against the Current
Demon Lord Faction was incredible. During the battle in Wildart City,
he managed to defeat the war hero Gald, and in the final battle, fought
toe to toe with Leohart until the unwanted guests decide to crash the
party…."
"Not only the battles against demons themselves, but in Wildart City
he took on the Spirits and in the final battle he defeated the Demon God
Chaos."
"So you're saying that Basara-san stood out too much?"
"Or that people are going to fear Basara-sama's power and will turn
him into a target….?"
Sheila shook her head to the worried questions from Maria and Zest
before continuing.
"What Basara-kun did was amazing, and of course we can't rule out
that there might be some who see him as a threat, but if the Moderate
Faction and the Current Demon Lord Faction end up signing a peace
treaty, they will be such a force together that nobody would be able to
challenge them. That's why both Ramusas and Leohart are trying to
crush any ideas or ambitions other forces may have, with this union.
They're going to remove all the seeds of conflict in the Demon World in
one fell swoop."
"But in order to go through with the peace negotiations
diplomatically, they had to make sure that you guys did not have a part
in the negotiation process. And that worked out for you, since the very
reason you guys came here was to make sure Mio-chan would not be
dragged into the politics of this world."
While Yuki understood Sheila's reasoning, she felt that the Demon
World should have done something more to acknowledge Basara's part
in all of this. Because it was he, who brought an end to the civil war
between the two leading factions of the Demon World, a feat even the
great Jin was unable to do. If the 'Village' was to acknowledge this, they
may even reconsider the exile they have placed on him.
But there is a chance that the 'Village' doesn't look so favourably to
this outcome. If Basara never intervened, the continuous fighting
between the two factions would have been beneficial to the 'Hero Clan'
as it would have weakened the Demon World as a whole.
"And further to that, it's best if people outside the Demon World
don't find out that Basara-kun is able to use Gravity Magic, the same
power that Mio-chan received from Wilbert."
Sheila took the girls' silence as a sign that they did know about
Basara's power, so she continued.
"Well it seems that you all know that Basara-kun is Sapphire's….the
younger sister of Wilbert."
"Yes…Basara-sama informed us last night."
Zest replied curtly. As loyal as she was to Basara, even Zest couldn't
ignore the questions that she had when she saw Basara use Gravity Magic
in the last fight, so as soon as they returned to Wildart City, she and the
other girls confronted Basara about it.
At first Zest thought that Basara's power came from his deepened
bond with Mio. As the Master-Servant Contract strengthens the ties
between the master and the servant and the individuals themselves, as
the bond between them grows stronger, Zest was under the impression
that Mio's powers transferred to Basara then. Her justification was that
it was only Mio, who seemed to not faint from pleasure when they were
in the guest house in Lundvall. When all of them pleasured each other to
deepen their bonds, Mio was the only one who didn't lose
consciousness, and stayed up till dawn with Basara to pleasure each
other.
So when Zest asked Basara if this was the case, Basara told them what
Jin told him about his mother. That Basara's mother was the younger
sister of the previous Demon Lord Wilbert. That Basara had Demon
blood running in his veins. While shocked to hear it, both Maria and
Zest were quick to accept this fact. After all, for Zest, Basara's
background and past had nothing to do with her loyalty towards him,
and this was the same for Maria.
But for Mio, Yuki and Kurumi, it was a lot harder to accept. For Yuki
and Kurumi, who were from the Hero Clan, finding out that Basara had
demon blood in him was not something they could accept happily.
While Yuki was able to control her emotions better, Kurumi was a
bawling mess. And no one could blame her. Unlike her older sister,
Kurumi still had to report information to the Village and was still under
the orders to assassinate Basara if something ever was to happen. And
this revelation isn't something she could just keep quiet about, as she
couldn't just betray the Village. Further to that, if the Village was to find
out that Kurumi was hiding this information, there will definitely be
consequences for Kurumi and Yuki's parents in the village as well.
Mio actually took it harder than Kurumi. Raised as a human all her
life, only to have her adoptive parents killed and told that she was the
daughter of the previous Demon Lord was one of the biggest shocks of
her life. And even after knowing all of that, Basara accepted her as his
family and even went further to form a Master-Servant Contract with
her to deepen said bond. Mio would be lying if she said she wasn't a bit
happy to find out that Basara also had demon blood in himself like her,
but she of all people knew what it was like to have your entire life turned
upside down from a revelation of your heritage. And she knew that
Basara was torn on the inside for having to tell Yuki and Kurumi about
it. So knowing the anguish that Basara had to suffer and seeing Kurumi
cry was just too much for Mio, and soon, she too was crying from all the
emotions she had pent up.
They all took the two crying girls to the bedroom, and Basara had
them all undress to share their body heat again, like they did back in
Lundvall. And Basara promised them right there that no matter what
happens, nothing will change between them and that nothing has to
change. They then all reconfirmed their bonds and Mio and Kurumi
were able to calm down. While the two girls did calm down, the very
real threat of the Village was still something that they had to eventually
face.
"The threat of the Village is something we will all have to discuss once
we get back."
"Ah yes… you'd have to do that too."
Sheila's response towards Zest's statement made it sound like the
threat of the Village wasn't really the issue she was talking about.
"Are you saying that there is something else…?"
"It's no surprise that you don't know…after all, you all have bear
special feelings for him. That's why, while you do worry when he does
something reckless, you all are very happy when he fights for you or
does something for you."
Sheila's smile seemed somewhat bittersweet and her eyes were filled
with a tinge of sadness.
"But…his recklessness will one day be the death of him."
4
The girls all froze and their faces paled when they heard Sheila's
warning.
"You girls aren't stupid. I know you've slowly realized, and even
began to fear, his talent. The victor of a fight is decided based on the
circumstance of a fight and it is something that can be swayed by the
element of luck. That is, the victor isn't something decided based on raw
fighting power alone. That being said, the likes of Gald and Leohart,
were still opponents that Basara would have never stood a chance
against. But even against all the odds, he found a way to win."
Sheila let out her breath and stared, with sad eyes, towards the
grounds of Oldora Forest.
"And his ability, the 'Banishing Shift'… That isn't something anyone
can just do. Even in the Hero Clan, I doubt there are other people who
could use that ability."
Sheila took Kurumi and Yuki's silence as an answer to her guess.
"It's probably an ability made possible because of his special blood…
And because of his special ability, he will do everything and anything to
protect his loved ones, even at the expense of his own body and life. It
probably has to do with the trauma he suffered as a child. He is so scared
of losing his precious people, that he will fight with everything he has, in
order to protect them. So far, with luck on his side as well, things have
turned out fine."
"But we can't say for sure about the next time…. And there is actually
a more pressing problem."
"Basara feels so strongly and cares for all of you so much. If
something was to ever happen to any of you…He will never be able to
forgive himself."
"And when that happens, Basara will no longer be the person that he
is now. I have seen someone lose something he cherished so much, only
for him to change as a person after filling up that empty void with hate
and regret. I'm sure you all would feel something similar too, if you were
to lose Basara."
"By the way, other than Kurumi, all of you are familiar with that
'someone'"
"Wait…don't tell me—-"
Maria gasped when realization struck her. Sheila looked at her and
nodded.
"Yes…I was talking about Zolgear."
Naruse Maria could only stand there in shock while letting that name
sink in. How can she ever forget that man.
"That guy…."
"Of course it's hard for you guys to think of him any differently, but
he wasn't always like that."
"He was actually a very nice person in the past…Until he lost the
woman of his life and changed. In his quest to revive her, he researched
thousands of scripts and documents, and experimented with Forbidden
Magic countless times."
Sheila looked up to the sky. The sadness in her eyes suggesting that
she was remembering the memories of a distant past.
"During his quest, he received countless injuries and curses to himself,
but he never stopped. Even his physical appearance was so disfigured
that people couldn't recognize him anymore, he kept continuing…. And
eventually he became the leading authority for magical life forms in the
Demon World."
"And one of the creations of his experiments, Zest, was you."
Naruse Maria suddenly recalled a moment from when she snuck into
Zolgear's room to find clues as to where Sheila was being held. She did
find some visual display which showed an image of a beautiful woman
with a striking resemblance to Zest. Perhaps, she was Zolgear's important
person.
"However, even if Zolgear was able to rise to the top of his field, there
was just no way to bring somebody back from the dead. And when he
found out that what he wanted was impossible, he gave up everything,
and saw no value in others anymore. That is why he ended up creating
his playground and spending his days drowning in a world of pleasure."
"We'd never know for certain but… I believe that the reason he never
touched you Zest, is because, no matter how much he had changed, no
matter how disfigured he had become, and no matter how much you
look like his past love, he believed that he didn't have the right to touch
her anymore."
It was a difficult truth to take in, and the girls didn't have anything to
say except one.
"….Who cares?"
Kurumi gripped Zest's hand tightly.
"What happened to him in the past has nothing to do with the cruel
things he did to Zest and him killing Mio's parents. Why should we care
what he went through?"
"Exactly. To all of you, this is needless information. He was just an
evil that you needed to dispose of. Perhaps in my case, this was just
sentiment from someone who knew what he was like before."
"So Zest…Make sure you treasure the person that will fill you with
love. That is how you will obtain happiness."
"I already understand as I belong to Basara-sama."
"That's good. But…all of you, do keep in mind that, if Basara-kun was
to lose any of you, there is a possibility that he will end up like Zolgear."
"He won't… Basara will never become like that."
Sheila replied to Yuki's declaration with a bit of a snicker.
"And how can you say that? The Master-Servant Contract that Basarakun has with you girls and the things you do together aren't so different
to the way Zolgear treated his girls. There doesn't really seem to be a big
difference in my eyes."
"….Shut up."
They all turned around to the source of that voice and saw Mio, biting
her lips and glaring at Sheila.
5
Naruse Mio couldn't bear it any longer. How dare Sheila compare
their relationship with Basara to that of Zolgear's slave girls.
But Mio's anger did not phase Sheila at all.
"For those who don't understand the circumstances, your relationship
is something they will never understand. But Basara-kun is the type of
person who will do anything to protect your goals. For him, the end
justifies the means, and he's willing to get his hands dirty for that. That's
why he cooperated with Lars, who could have been an enemy for all we
know, to kill Zolgear and he even came to ask me for dangerous drugs to
help him for that last battle."
"A normal person will actually fear Basara's course of action and his
ability to make the most ruthless of decisions. I mean Mio, think about
it, what would your friends think about Basara-kun, if you were to tell
them that he makes you and the other girls drown in pleasure every
night and that he secretly kills people that bring harm to you. Do you
think they will look at Basara as a good person?"
That question from Sheila was too cruel. There was no way that she
could tell her friends from school about the relationship they had with
Basara. And for even for people in the Demon World, not all of them
are supportive or accepting of a Master-Servant Contract. Mio herself
originally wanted to get rid of the contract, but now she was very happy
with having a contract with Basara. Yuki too, she supposed, was happy
with her contract as it was a proof of the special bond she had with
Basara.
But…That didn't mean that the bonds the girls shared with Basara was
something they could just talk about with anyone. Mio couldn't tell her
friends and Yuki and Kurumi can't let the Hero Clan find out. Even
Maria and Zest, may have had accusations in the past by others in the
Moderate Faction, for associating with an ex-Hero. So without knowing
the full story as to why they have the Master-Servant Contract, their
relationship with Basara may really do in fact look like the one Zolgear
had with his girls.
Mio felt her body start to waver. She knew that if Basara so much as
asked, the girls will all gladly pleasure him like how Zolgear's girls
pleasured Zolegar. Mio and the others all love Basara. They will do
anything he asked of them. And she knew that it was the same for him as
well. Basara would do anything for them. It was a truth that Mio and the
girls didn't want to accept, but Sheila played the Devil's advocate to
make them realize the possibility and danger of Basara going out of
control.
Just as Mio was about to lose her footing from this realization, she
heard a little chuckle from behind her.
"Hey you perverted Mother-Succubus, stop scaring the young ones!"
It was no other than Jin, Basara's father, and the one known as 'The
Strongest'.
6
"Not just your appearance…You gave a large portion of your power
to Mio and that changed your spiritual level as well as your magical
power, which masked your identity even further. However, giving your
part away still won't take away your Gravity element, but you overcame
that by saying that you were his brother. Being a relative also made it
easier for you to enter the politics of the Demon World."
"While Mio was protected in the human world due to the power you
gave her, you still needed some support. And that's where Sheila-san
comes in. And not just against Zolgear… I believe that she knew about
your identity and that she was supporting you from the very beginning,
long before you planned all of this."
"I guessed this because it struck me as strange that somebody as
devoted as Lucia-san would stay by your side. It would have made more
sense for her to join Klaus' group to worship your legacy. But if she was
convinced by Sheila-san, then it would all make sense as to why she is
standing by your side as your second in command."
"But I believe that you had one more accomplice."
The hero of the Great War and the one who married the Demon
Lord's daughter after the war.
Toujou Jin.
Basara always found it suspicious how Ramusas, Jin and Sheila got
along. It wasn't camaraderie from after the war, but more like a group
who had to share an uneasy secret.
"Since you guys were brother in laws, I believe that you planned to
fake the death of Wilbert to see the Moderate Faction calm down from
their desire to conquer the Demon World. And while that did work out
in the beginning, you didn't expect the Demon Council to plot a revolt
by putting Leohart's faction in the position of power. And while you
were able to prevent all out conflict by assuming the position of leader of
the Moderates Faction, there was nothing you can do about the Current
Demon Lord Faction, and so, your initial plans went completely out the
window."
"And Leohart knew exactly how charismatic and worshipped Wilbert
was, so when he heard about Mio having your power, he couldn't just
ignore her."
After Zolgear killed Mio's parents, she and Maria made it to the
Toujou household. When Basara called Jin to know if the two of them
were Demons, he said that he already knew. Now Basara knows what his
words meant that day. It wasn't an accident that Naruse Mio came to the
Toujou household. It was planned from the very beginning.
With all the dots connected, Basara finally felt satisfied with his
theory. Just when he was about to mentally pat himself on the back,
Ramusas spoke up.
"Seems like you were voicing out your daydreams, but are you
finished?"
Even after Basara laid out his compelling points, Ramusas' facial
expression remained unchanged. But that was to be expected. After all,
what Basara suggested were mere 'theories'. And theories without
evidence were no different to the ramblings of a madman. Even if what
Basara said was the truth, Ramusas will gain nothing in confirming them.
With her master keeping the silence, Lucia remained just as tight lipped.
Jin and Sheila, will most likely take it to the grave as well. That is
because their entire plan relies on the basis that Wilbert stays in the
shadows. If Wilbert was to suddenly resurface, the Demon World will
just be dragged back into worshipping his charisma and fighting between
each other. The truth about Wilbert's death must be kept a secret
forever. Admitting to it will destroy everything they had worked on
until now.
"You're right…these were all just my dreamy musings. So you don't
have to worry about me telling Mio about my strange dreams."
"Anyway, I best get going. Thank you for taking care of me."
Basara bowed politely to Ramusas then turned to Lucia.
"Lucia-san, Sheila-san told me that Mio and the others are waiting for
me at the edge of Oldora forest."
"Yes, she was briefed about your return. Please follow me."
Basara followed as Lucia started to walk towards the exit of the
balcony. At the top of the stairs, he turned to see Ramusas, back facing
him, staring down into the city once again. He spoke to Ramusas' back.
One last promise.
"Even if everything I said was untrue. It doesn't change the fact that
you're Mio's uncle. So when you have the time, please come and visit
her. I know you'll be very busy with the peace negotiations and
everything but… until you come and visit her, I'll make sure to keep her
safe. Just like how you have always been watching over her."
7
"Geez…And here I was wondering what you guys were talking about
with such heavy expressions."
Jin let out a sigh in front of everyone.
"I'm thankful that you're worried about Basara, but that's just
pointless to push onto these girls."
"It's definitely not something I'd brush off as 'pointless' though."
Sheila-san gave a small smirk as she glanced in Jin's direction. His
subordinate(?) Fio, standing next to him.
"After all, my Maria, is now part of Basara-kun's harem. I have a
right, as a mother, to express my concerns."
"Uh-um…Sh-Sheila-san…it…it's not…."
Mio stuttered, face ablaze. While Kurumi shared a similar red-faced
expression, Maria, Yuki and Zest all showed rather happy expressions,
with small smiles and slight fidgeting.
While Mio couldn't really deny the fact that Basara did have a harem,
it wasn't really something she wanted to admit to in front of Jin, Basara's
father. Jin just looked at the girls and gave a small smirk.
"You know Sheila, it feels really good to know that your son is
popular with the ladies."
Sheila let out a sigh.
"Always so positive… Aren't you worried at all about Basara?"
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried… After all worrying about your
son is part of being a father."
"But, don't underestimate Basara, Sheila."
"I wasn't. But unlike you, he's too serious about things. So I am
worried that he will be forced to take drastic measures for these girls…
I'm also worried that he may one day distance himself from the girls
when he believes that he isn't worthy of them."
"—!?"
Mio had to swallow her breath. She knew in her heart that she will
never try to distance herself from Basara, and she knew that he would
never abandon her or the others. But if it was in order to protect Mio
and the others, that was a possibility she wasn't sure of.
"Geez, what are you acting all shocked for? As a father, I was hoping
that this was the part where you guys say 'We will never let that happen
to Basara!'"
Mio bit her lips hearing Jin's joke. It's true that the threat Sheila
mentioned will always be a possible threat. But that can all be prevented
depending on how the girls act. So Sheila's question was most likely an
attempt to check how serious and committed the girls were to Basara.
She recalled Takigawa telling her and Yuki before to 'become strong
enough to kill Basara when the time comes'. Perhaps that was his way to
make sure the girls understood their situation.
And at that moment, Mio pledged to become stronger. Mio will not
lose her precious person. Even if the conflict with the Current Demon
Lord Faction may have ended, there will be more trials in the future. In
order to protect him, Mio and the others will have to become stronger.
Because Toujou Basara is their precious 'family'.
Jin saw the determined look on Mio's face.
"So, I take it that my son is going to be safe in your hands?"
One look at Mio's face was all he needed to see for her answer.
"What do you think Sheila?"
"Well with a look like that, I'm sure things are going to be just fine."
Sheila gave a gentle smile to the girls.
"I'm sorry that I said things that may have scared you. But that feeling
that you're feeling now. That's the feeling that you'll need when things
become tough. Never forget that."
The girls all nodded. Satisfied with their Jin, gave a smile.
"Alright, with that settled, I guess I should start heading off."
Yuki, understanding the undertones of what he said, asked worriedly.
"Jin-san, you aren't coming back with us… ?"
"No I'm not. I actually came here to look for the wife, but I can't seem
to find her. From what I've heard, she doesn't seem to be in the Demon
World. Even Sheila can't seem to sense her spiritual presence after all."
"But I can't just go home empty handed so I thought I'd stay behind
and do a little more digging. Luckily for me, Fio over here said that he'd
help me out. Isn't that right Fio?"
Fio didn't have the happiest of faces.
"It's not like I'm doing it because I want to help you."
"It's because I ended up following you all the way here that my
position and allegiance is most likely under question if I were to go back
now. So I'm only here until the peace negotiation is sorted and I can go
back."
Jin just smiled at Fio making all his excuses. He patted Fio's head and
they started to walk towards the forest. He turned around and gave the
girls one last wave.
"I've already spoken to Basara about this… Please take care of him."
8
Basara was following Lucia through the castle grounds when he heard
her speak.
"You didn't ask anything about Sapphire-sama until the end. Was it
okay?"
"It's…fine. I've already had my father tell me about my mother."
But in truth, there wasn't much that Basara learnt from Jin. All he told
him was that he met her on the battlefield and they fought as enemies.
And after they got together, because of their respective positions, it was
difficult for them to live together.
So actually…Basara didn't know anything about her. But it was just
like his dad to leave out all the information. So he was fine with it.
After all, this was a woman that Jin decided to make his wife. And that
woman too, decided to be with Jin, knowing that he was he strongest
fighter of the Hero Clan. And she is the younger sister of the doting
father Wilbert. Basara knew that she must be a 'good person'.
Basra was shocked when he found out that he had Demon blood in
him. But after meeting Mio, Maria and Zest he knew that they would
still accept him. And while Kurumi and Mio looked shaken from the
revelation, he made sure to teach them that everything was going to be
the same and that nothing was going to change. Of course, Maria being
there, meant that the 'teaching' process took place in the bedroom but
nevertheless, their bonds were secure and Jin even told him to do as he
wished.
"Of course I'd like to go and look for my mother with my father. But I
now have a precious family of my own that I have to be with. And I
don't think Ramusas-san would feel comfortable in telling me about my
mother just yet."
Lucia had a very rare smile on her face.
"Well then…allow me to tell you a little secret about Maria."
"A secret about Maria…?"
"Maria and I… we have different fathers."
"Huh…?"
"My father died just after my mother gave birth to me. He was always
and sick and his body was very weak. But my parents still fell in love and
my mother had me because she wanted to bear his child."
"My mother was alone after that. But she went to visit His Royal
Highness Wilbert once at the castle just after Lady Ashe passed away
after giving birth to Mio-sama. They were to discuss how to raise Miosama in the human world…"
"And, just once, they spent the night together."
"Sheila-san did? With Lord Wilbert?"
Basara couldn't restrain his shock to Lucia's admission.
"The two of them were both suffering from the loss of their loved
ones. And as two individuals who saw each other as equals, perhaps
there was a hole in their hearts that only the two of them could fill. But
when my mother found out that she was carrying Maria, she was quite
happy. She always wanted another child, and Mio-sama would also get a
little sister."
"And just like how Wilbert-sama passed on his powers to Mio-sama,
my mother also gave half of her powers to Maria."
Realization struck Basara.
"Half of her powers… so the way Sheila-san looks is because of…"
Lucia nodded.
"Yes, but we haven't told Maria. From what Zolgear told her, she
believes that it's her fault that our mother looks like the way she does."
"But…why don't you tell Maria the truth!?"
The very reason why Maria ended up cooperating with Zolgear was
because, somewhere deep within her heart, she felt guilty for what
happened to her mother.
"Don't you know how much she blames herself for it? Keeping it a
secret is just going to keep tormenting her further."
"It's just as you say…"
Maria responded with a sad expression on her face.
"I thought exactly like you are doing now… I kept telling my mother
that Maria should know about the truth. But she always refused."
"But why would Sheila-san refuse…?"
Basara has seen with his own eyes how Sheila dotes on her two
daughters. So he just couldn't believe why she would keep such a secret
away from Maria, resulting in her blaming herself over it.
"Mother was a very powerful succubus in her prime… and with that
personality, it's not surprising that she has many enemies in the Demon
World. If they were to find out that her child now carries the mother's
power, they will definitely go after her."
"And, at the same time, she is also the child of Lord Wilbert. If this
information was to become public, it will risk making Maria into more
of a political tool than even Mio-sama. My mother wanted to avoid that
at all costs."
"Just like with Mio-sama, we can only tell her the truth once
everything in the Demon World settles down. But that most likely won't
be for a while…"
"But Basara-dono, after watching Maria after the ordeal with Zolgear,
and the way she smiled, I know that she is in safe hands with you and her
friends."
Lucia bowed deeply.
"So please continue taking care of Maria."
"Maria had my mother's power and the blood of Lord Wilbert. In
terms of potential, she has a lot more power than my mother or myself.
And I believe that power can only be unleashed when she accepts and
comes to terms with herself. So Basara-dono, please guide her towards
the right direction."
Basara knew that this task was something Sheila and Lucia had to do.
No, it was something they wanted to do. But due to their circumstances,
they had entrusted Basara to the task. Basara knew what it meant for
Lucia to ask him to do this.
"I understand. But I can't guarantee that she'll awaken her true
powers. But I'll keep telling Maria to accept herself. After all, just like
for you and Sheila-san, Maria is an important family member to me as
well."
"Thank you."
Lucia's smile was not that of Ramusas' second-in-command, but that
of a loving sister.
9
After their promise, Basara and Lucia walked towards the back gate.
Since the return to the human world was to be done in secrecy, Sheila's
portal to Oldora Forest was hidden away from the main areas of the
castle. Just when they turned the corner, Basara felt someone on the
other side, and it seemed that they noticed him as well.
"Toujou Basara"
It was Leohart. Leaving his subordinates behind, he made his way
towards Basara and Maria.
"I didn't expect to see you again. I heard you are leaving today."
"Yea, I'm about to meet up with Mio and the others. You're here for
the meeting right?"
Basara knew that the meeting between the two faction leaders was
taking place today, but he didn't expect Leohart to arrive so early in the
morning. And there was another thing that piqued his interest.
"But for you to be coming through the rear gate like this…is this
meeting supposed to be under wraps?"
The meeting between the two leaders of the Moderate Faction and the
Current Demon Lord Faction was supposed to be a political statement
to the other forces in the Demon World and a statement of peace to
those residing in the Demon World. Therefore, it made sense for them
to walk through the main gate in a ceremonious manner. But they didn't.
Which means that…
"You guys considered the feelings of the people."
"This ceasefire was called before we made any preparations. Even if
we are currently in a state of a cease fire, it's not easy for the people to
just lay down their arms when they see someone they were trying to kill
just last week. So we decided that it was best for us to keep a low profile
until things become better and people decide to give peace a chance."
Basara's respect for Leohart increased. He understood that both
Leohart and Ramusas were looking well into the future, and not just at
the immediate ceasefire and peace negotiation. Leohart also looked a lot
more relaxed. Basara guessed that a whole lot of weight was taken off his
shoulders since the ceasefire was called. And that, he couldn't really
walk into the negotiation room with bloodlust and rage.
"Oh….so this is the son of Jin Toujou."
Basara felt the voice right by his ear. The young man was part of
Leohart's entourage, but he somehow appeared right next to him in an
instant.
"…!?"
Basara saw Lucia harden her stance with a shocked expression. She
probably did not see him move at all. The young man just ignored Lucia
and stared into Basara's eyes, a tinge of bloodlust and a wicked smile
adorning his face.
"I heard you fought toe to toe with Leohart here. But you sure don't
look that strong. Why don't you show me that move of yours that
brought Leohart to his knees."
The young man stretched his hand out as if to touch Basara.
At that moment, Basara calculated the options in his head. This young
man's fighting ability wasn't so different to Leohart, and there was
another 7 of them with similar fighting power in the group.
Unfortunately, the Moderate Faction didn't have the arsenal to match
and fight all 8 of these guys and Leohart. Even if Basara was to gather
Mio and the others, their chance of victory was slim to none.
Luck also played a big part in his fight against Leohart at Lundvall.
Even if he were to use his Gravity Slash now, without the element of
surprise, it would be easy for Leohart to dodge it. But he couldn't just
leave them be. If this was a ploy by them to ambush the peace
negotiations, their target might switch to Basara and the others after.
Then what did Basara have to do. Just as his brain went in to
overdrive, the others all looked at Basara with a hint of amusement in
their eyes.
"Well…this is interesting"
They knew what Basara was trying to do. His thoughts were being
read. But they knew that they had the numbers so none of them thought
that they would ever lose. To them it might seem like Basara was plotting
a suicide mission. They are so certain of their victory that if Basara was
able to get one of them and brutally murder them in front of the others,
it'll cause panic for the rest of them. Basara knew that he only needed
one opportunity. So he—
"Stop it….both of you."
Leohart's cold voice stopped Basara in his tracks. Then suddenly
"You idiot! I told you that you had to stay still if you wanted to tag
along!"
A lady, from one of the seven, punched the young man in the head.
"Hey…what was that for…That hurt."
"What hurts is your stupidity! I'm sorry that this idiot caused you
problems."
The lady apologized towards Basara before turning back to the young
man.
"We were the ones who asked for a ceasefire. How stupid can you be
to try and attack them after doing so!"
"Well…it's not like I asked for the ceasefire."
"Shut up! And also, it's not Leohart! You should be calling him 'his
majesty'. I told you to watch how you speak in public… Anyway get
your ass back here you dumbass."
She dragged the young man by his collar back towards the group.
"I brought them to introduce them to the Ramusas today. I don't
mean to start a fight."
Hearing Leohart's explanation, Basara let out the breath he was
holding. He looked towards the group.
"I see… then they are the…?"
"Yes. They will be the ones supporting me."
"With the demise of the Demon Council, I'll have to establish a new
governing body. They are the 'Eight Demon Generals' and they have
each been in charge of the army in the 8 directions of the Demon World.
Each of them has accomplished just as much as I have during the
previous great war."
"I want them, not just as my aides, but as representative members of
the new council. If half of the eight voted against me, my ideas can be
rejected. And if all eight of them were to vote together, they will even
have the authority and power to impeach me. That's how much power
I'm going to be entrusting them with for the new council."
"To prevent totalitarian rule by the Demon Lord huh…."
"Yes. And to prevent a repeat of the Demon Council."
Leohart answered to Basara's guess.
Leohart knew that he already had the approval of the other eight, but
wanted to make sure that he had measures in place in case he ever
strayed from the path like how Belphegor and the others did.
If he was to be honest, Leohart wished for Balflear to be his second in
command. But Blaflear has been missing since the final battle. He
approached Gald about the position, but he insisted that the younger
generation should be the ones clearing the path to the future from now
on and politely refused.
He did consider appointing Luka to the council but decided against it,
knowing that Luka wanted to the pursue the path of research rather than
politics. After telling Luka that he didn't have to involve himself in any
of the politics, he gladly returned to the Academy for his research.
Basara still had one name in his mind.
"Then what about Takigawa?"
"Lars is a tricky one. Neither we nor the Moderate Faction know what
to do since his loyalty to either faction is as muddled as it can be. One of
the topics that is going to be discussed today at the meeting is in regards
to Lars. I did request his assistance, since he would be a big help
politically in the future, but he refused, saying that he would much
prefer being free. I asked to wait at Lundvall until this is all over."
"I guess I won't be able to see him before I go then… I wanted to say
my goodbyes and my thanks before I went back."
"But are you sure he's going to be okay? I mean… he was technically
spying for both sides."
"Don't worry about that. Both my side and the Moderate Faction
took advantage of Lars' situation in different ways. No harm will come
to him."
"Phew, well that's good to know."
Something cold seeped through Leohart as he saw Basara smile about
Lars. Until just a moment ago, Basara was ready to fight them. Even if he
had no chance against himself and the Eight Generals, Basara had
something planned. He was seeing something that he, Leohart, could
not.
"…. Toujou Basara"
"Hm? What?"
Basara turned towards Leohart. His carefree expression put Leohart
on further guard. He had to confirm something. If what Liala said was
the truth, it was Basara who killed Belphegor. And he did so before that
final battle. Alone. But…
"…Actually, forget it."
Leohart's question never made it out his throat. Even if he did ask
such a question, Basara would never admit to it. And if he was to admit
to it, it'll only cause the Eight Generals to be wary of him, and some of
them might have doubts of the peace treaty with the Moderate Faction.
Perhaps some secrets were better to be kept in the dark forever. Even
if it stung his pride, it was his duty as the Demon Lord to sometimes
turn his cheek from the truth.
"Anyway, I gotta get going."
"Yea. This is goodbye…Toujou Basara."
With their goodbyes exchanged, Leohart watched Basara leave the
castle. Then he turned on his heels and walked ahead with his generals to
where he had to go.
He was the Current Demon Lord. And he had to meet the leader of
the Moderate Faction, Ramusas, to discuss with him about the future of
the Demon World.
10
After parting with Leohart, Lucia guided Basara to the portal Sheila
prepared to take him to Oldora Forest. After giving Lucia his thanks, he
took one step towards the portal, and found himself standing in front of
Mio and the others.
"Basara…!"
"Sorry for keeping you guys waiting…."
Basara smiled to the girls who expressed their surprise. Sheila had a
strange smile on her face when she spoke to Basara.
"Were you able to ask Ramusas about what you wanted to know?"
"No, he didn't tell me anything."
He technically wasn't lying. Basara merely spoke about his theories
and Ramusas never admitted to anything. Sheila was able to understand
what happened based on Basara's awkward smile. But she didn't let Mio
and the others know that anything strange happened, and Basara was
thankful for that.
So Basara promised himself to keep his talk with Lucia a secret from
Maria as well. He knew that it was something that Sheila would like to
tell her daughter herself anyway.
"Alright, let's get started~"
With such a light-hearted tone, Sheila instantly opened a perfect
portal connecting the two worlds. The quality of her portals were a lot
higher than Lucia's. But there was another difference between Sheila's
portal and her daughter's portal. Lucia's portal were vertical and one had
to walk through it to go to the other side. Sheila's portal perfectly
horizontal on the ground.
And it was right under them.
"Huh….KYAAAAAAAAAAA!?"
Mio and the girls let out a scream as they fell through the portal.
Basara, who was standing a little bit away looked on in shock. Sheila just
gave him a teasing smile.
"Oh don't worry. I made sure to connect it to the other side."
Basara just let out a sigh as he looked at the teasing loli-succubus.
"Well that's fine then…Thank you for everything Sheila-san."
Basara bid farewell to Sheila and was about to take the plunge when
"Basara-kun"
Basara quickly turned around. The way she said his name was void of
the usual cheerful tone that she had. Basara had never heard her speak so
seriously before.
"There's nothing wrong with treasuring Mio and the others. But there
will be no point if you have to sacrifice yourself for them. Please
remember that."
Perhaps he understood the meaning behind her words. For Basara
didn't say anything. And Sheila knew what he was feeling, that led him
to his silence. Sheila needed him to know what she had to say. She knew
that she couldn't leave it to the idiot men that found their way into
Basara's life. Single fathers like Jin and Wilbert believe that being a man
of few words was cool, but Sheila had no interest in playing along with
their machismo.
For Sheila and Wilbert, Basara represented hope. The hope to end
their long feud with the Hero Clan and give a peaceful future for the next
generation. And that was the future that Sheila, Wilbert and Jin
promised to make. A world where their children can all live happily
together.
"Please promise me Basara. Please never do anything that will make
you give up on yourself,"
Basara knew that he could come up with any lie to stop Sheila from
worrying. But he couldn't. This was the first time Sheila was speaking to
him so seriously. He clenched his fist and made his promise.
"I'll do my best."
Perhaps that wasn't quite the response she was hoping for, but that
was all the promise Basara could make for now. Sheila gave a small smile
then handed him a big bag with a red ribbon on top.
"Um…what is this?"
"It's souvenirs from the Demon World and also gifts to help prepare
for your new life with Zest as well. I've also put in some things that will
be useful for you inside. Use them when you're in trouble."
"Thank you very much."
After saying his thanks, Basara hopped through the portal and made
his way towards his precious girls.
11
As he jumped into the portal, all the light and sound disappeared.
What surrounded him was total darkness. The next moment, a bright
light flashed, and he found himself in his living room.
"….!?"
Basara was surprised to see the 5 girls sleeping on the living room
floor. Perhaps the shock of being suddenly dropped took its toll on
them. But watching them sound asleep made Basara think of the
conversation he just had with Sheila.
This was his home. This was the place and these were the people he
would go home to. The people he would fight for. The life he will
protect.
"I did promise Sheila-san…"
Basara knew that he will have to find a way to the future where
everyone can live happily, in order to keep his promise with Sheila.
In the corner of his vision, he saw one of the girls open their eyes.
It was Mio.
"Basara…?"
Basara just smiled. He was back home.
"Welcome back, Mio."