On the other side of the Kuoh City Adam arrived inside the mansion deep inside the Mountains. The place where a lot of things happened for him. He started training Rias' peerage here, and then things escalated with Akeno along with the problems that came after.
But, another important event happened in this place. And multiple times at that.
"Adam…" Ophis waited for him in the kitchen after a long time.
"You finally came back," He smiled ruffling her black hair.
"Adam is not angry?" She asked.
"Hmm? Why would I be angry with you, Ophis?" Confused, Adam asked a question of his own.
"That day you were angry…" Her words made his brain turn gears at top speed.
What day could she be talking about? A day where he showed anger in this world? There were a few instances of that, but the one that lined up with her situation was more recent.
'The day I took Grayfia to her younger brother!' That day Adam used a bit of intimidation to keep others from interfering with the siblings. And Ophis happened to be there.
It dawned on him why this little kid hadn't come around since that day. She thought he was angry with her too. Even if he made sure that it wasn't aimed at her.
"I wasn't angry at you." He decided to clear things up anyway.
"You weren't?" She looked up with slight happiness in her jet-black eyes.
"Definitely wasn't. I was angry with other people there, not with you I promise." He saw her worry fade away like snow in the sunlight. Ophis wasn't as expressive as others. So, even a slight frown or smile became much more pronounced. And Adam could catch them with ease.
"I thought you were angry with me." She looked down as a small sigh left her lips and soon a smile appeared.
'It must've really worried her.' But, now she started to swing her legs like usual.
All that mattered was that it ended well. Even then this gave him more things to think about. Ophis was mixed with some shady people. From what he felt they didn't have any good intentions, not towards her either.
"Ophis, I am just suggesting but, can you leave that bunch?" He knew that he was close with Ophis, but she had probably known those people for years. So, asking her to leave them wouldn't be easy, because amassing that following must've taken years.
"Ok." Ophis nodded.
"You agreed just like that?" Amused, Adam smiled.
"Cause Adam asked." She had no hesitation.
"Why were you with them in the first place? It also looked like you lent them powers." Adam wanted to know about them in advance, although they weren't a threat to him. In the end, he wasn't around all the time and Ophis was always defenseless, to say the least.
"To get my home back from Idiot Red." She said.
"To get your home back, huh…" Adam scratched his chin, he may have made a mistake.
For Ophis to get chased out of her home her opponent must be a strong one. So, her gathering those forces to fight that thing made sense. But, here he came along and told her to give up on that without knowing. The worst part, she agreed.
'Should I help her? It may take a few days off my stay… but it can work.' He thought noticing the slight sway in her body. She looked like a kid who got a mountain of candy, but if he could get her home back, it would make her happier. And she'd stay away from that troublesome bunch.
"So, Ophis let's go. I'll get you your home." However, unlike what he expected she shook her head.
"Don't need it."
"Why?" Adam wondered about the reason for this sudden change. And she didn't let him stay in the suspense for long.
"I can come here again, so I am a home. Don't need the old one." She grabbed his shirt with her small hands and looked at him with her big eyes, "I can come, right?"
"…Yes… yes, you can." Adam nodded. He didn't expect such a lethal strike.
'Is she trying to kill me with Cuteness? Cause it might just work.' He thought patting her head, he was sure he had a foolish smile on his face. However, it made him understand how lonely Ophis was, not meeting him for a few days did affect her it seems. Her face looked a little paler and it appeared she hadn't eaten anything for days.
But, he couldn't be here every day even if he wanted to.
"Ophis come with me." So, Adam came up with a plan.
She held his hand without questions and in an instant space around them wrapped. Floating in the air Ophis looked around, she found herself in an unknown place as her feet landed on solid floor. Eyes gathered on her as the people present started to notice her and Adam.
"A-Adam… is that…" The ceramic plate in Rias' hand crashed on the floor and her face went pale.
'Wait, he said he didn't have any children… he didn't have any wives too. So, could it be that she is adopted?' Rias' gears churned to come to a proper conclusion. Beside her Akeno shook her head with a sigh as Grayfia handled the mess on the floor like a flash.
"Well… how do I say this…" A wry smile appeared on his lips. He couldn't say that she wasn't his child, even if she wasn't. The way she looked at him with innocent eyes made it harder to reject it.
"T-That's Ophis-sama…" It was then that Euclid's shaky voice made it out of his throat.
"Ophis-Sama…? No way…" Roygun's face went pale the next instant.
She had been dealing with information on a much larger scale as of late. Especially information related to the organization Euclid was part of. Roygun knew that Adam would ask for it with Grayfia around who also requested it. So, she did her best to not leave any stone unturned. This led to a shocking discovery.
"She is the head honcho of the group called Khaos Brigade. The Infinity Dragon God, Ophis!" Roygun gulped watching her black eyes turn to her. The soulless and dark gaze made her shiver in cold sweat.
"The Infinite Dragon God, yes… she is the one…" Euclid couldn't shake off the fear either. The most troublesome person in the Khaos brigade was her. Although her attitude didn't suit her power, that didn't take anything away from her strength.
Ophis was the strongest. Even if she didn't meddle much, she was without a doubt the face of the organization. She granted the members abilities, and she had the power to take them away as well. He feared that with his disappearance Rizevim would have him dealt with using her. That was why he came with his sister to this place and sought asylum with Adam.
"I, won't harm you. I, don't harm Adam's friends." She turned to him again, her soulless eyes now looked more vibrant when she turned to Adam, "I, did good?"
Sensing the tense atmosphere that formed because of her, Ophis tried to settle it down with her words. After all, she didn't want to trouble Adam and the people he knew further.
"Yes, you did very good." Adam patted her head before turning to others, "You all should calm down, from now on Ophis will be living here so get along with her."
"A Dragon God living here…?" Roygun didn't know anyone else who'd be this calm next to one of the strongest beings to ever exist.
'But that's to be expected from him. After all, my cutie isn't inferior to anyone.' A closed-lipped smile appeared on her when she saw him pat the literal Dragon God like she was a toddler.
'To think Master solved the problem this quick. But that is to be expected.' Grayfia too felt the weight lift off her shoulders.
Euclid told her about Ophis and how she would come for him for deserting the Khaos Brigade. He begged her to let him return, but she dragged him here. Grayfia planned to ask Adam to help her once she proved herself. But, Adam arrived at the store with Ophis. And their bond looked something similar to a parent and a child.
'With this, I can rest easy about Euclid.' Grayfia thought refilling Ophis' plate.
...
That is all for the week as you guys didn't hit the goal yet, if you do i'll release the bonus chapter on that day.
If you want to read 60+ chapters ahead of the release here go to pat.reon, that's like 90k words for only 10usd.
That is all, bye bye.