Hyoudou Residence.
"Seriously,A Devil-King Descendant like Vali with a potentially longinus class sacred gear capable of controlling Dragons.You do know what that means right??."Azazel said looking at Inglivid who sat infront of him beside Ren.
"What doy you mean Azazel Sensei?Is there anything wrong with her staying with us?"Xenovia who sat on Ren's right side asked completely oblivious to the topic of conversation.
"Sigh.It's her lineage,her being a half breed Devil-King Descendant."Ren said answering Xenovia's qualm.
"I still don't get it?"
"Devil-King Descendant aren't seen in positive light by the masses and Half-Devil aren't seen in positive light by the higher ranked Devil and Devil houses.If the Old devil's and New ones hear of her existence they might demand her execution.It doesn't help a fellow kin of her attacked the leader at the Kuoh summit."Azazel said which caused the poor girl in question to wince.
"So-o,I-I am a t-trouble to everyone?!?"
"Don't worry you are not a trouble."Ren said patting Inglivid on the head.
"Yes.You aren't a trouble to anyone,And if someone does say otherwise tell me about it Durandal would love to have a word with them."
"So,I guess you will be looking after her henceforth?"Azazel asked ignoring the muscle head.
"Yes,It's my responsibility since I am responsible for waking her up.Though I think we should ask the girl in question about her opinion."As Ren said that all the eyes were focused on Inglivid waiting for her answer.
"I-I don't mind s-staying with Ren-san."
"Well that does it then,Xenovia why don't you take Inglivid with you and show her around?"
"Yes!!I would love to show her around!"Xenovia responded to Azazel in a excited tone.
As Xenovia dragged the Devil-King Descendant,A serious look replaced Azazel usual carefree look.
"So,what are we going to say to the devils?"
"Tell them that she is under my care,and if they want anything they can go through me."Ren said in a blunt tone.
"They won't like the It?"
"Their opinion and likes are not my concern."
"What if they try something or threaten to cancel the peace treaty?"
"I will deal with them if they try something.Besides they need the treaty more than us."
"They might send some powerful devils."Azazel said testing Ren's resolve.
"Then all the more fun."
"Sigh.I can already imagine all the political headaches coming my way."Azazel said sighing already having guesses what might happen.
"On a another note,How's Issei's and the group's training coming along?"Ren asked changing the subject.
"They are doing fine nothing earth shattering though Koneko Toujou did pass out due to over work."
"There is always that someone in a group that isn't satisfied with their results."
"Now that I think about it,why don't you talk to the girl??You do know quite a lot about senjutsu which might help."Azazel asked which caused Ren to raise his brows.
"Surely there are better people for her to talk to."
"There are but none of them know about senjutsu as much as you."
"I only know the basics of sensing others Ki nothing else."
"True you can't use senjutsu but you possess a deep understanding about it or was all the time you spent with Yasaka spent on something else?"Azazel saked with a mischievous smirk on his face.
"Fine,whatever.When do we leave?"
"Tell the girls we leave right now."As Azazel said that Ren just stared at him as if he was some kind of idiot.
"Sigh, Inglivid's health needs to be properly examined and the Devils know about that sleeping sickness more that us.While you talk with the resident Nekoshou,Inglivid will head to Sitri Territory with Xenovia for her health examination Shemhazai will look after them there."
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The travel to the Gremory was uneventful perse.Ren was completely on his own so things could work the way they intended, leaving him to find the way to the other subway with the only help of a map, but nothing he couldn't handle.
As Ren arrived at Gremory Territory an unnecessary number of servants received him at the entrance and led him to where Rias was.
"Ren-san... So Azazel sensei had you called. Sorry for the trouble caused by my own lack of skills to solve this kind of problem."
"No, I don't know if I'll be able to do something about it.Besides Azazel is the one that dragged me into this."
"Is that so.Come, I'll show you the way."Rias said with doubts in her eyes which didn't go unnoticed.
The walk to the room in which Koneko was staying took longer than he expected due to the size of the mansion, and it was awkward, to say the least. He had no topic of conversation in mind, at least non-related to his current "part-time job", and she seemed to have a lot on her mind.
And when they finally reached the room in question and knocked at the door...
"Koneko-chan, you have a visit!"
There was no answer. No refusal, nor a greeting. There wasn't even a single sound coming from inside the room.
"Come in..."
Ren looked at Rias one last time and entered the room after receiving a nod from her.
The first shock came the moment he closed the door behind him and looked at the little girl sitting on the only bed in the room. To be precise, the cat ears and the tail. That was a little detail he would have been thankful to know beforehand.
But now, judging by the way Koneko looked away and bit her lips after his moment of surprise, he was off to a good start.
"You don't like them either,Senpai..."
"No,They make you look even cuter." He took sit beside her as he tried to at least bring things to the starting point, but it wasn't that effective.
"You're just too kind, Senpai. But you were surprised the moment you saw me."
"When you see a Nekoshou for the first time you are bound to be surprised."As Ren said the he saw the girl in question flinch.
"I know we aren't that close to be discussing your lineage... but would you tell me why do you hate that fundamental part of yourself?"
Another silence. She seemed to be pondering about it if the grimace on her face was anything to go by.
"You know I too in the past hated my life,my very existence I hated it."Ren said as he took a long breath.
Ren's word greatly shocked Koneko.Why did someone so strong hate himself?Why someone so well respected in Grigori hated himself?
"S-Senpai hated himself..."
"Yeah,I sometimes wished I didn't exist.You see when I was a 10 years old,I practically forced my parents to take me to the museum that was nearby my house.My parents died at the hands of a stray devil who happened to be at the same museum.That devil killed 35 people alongside my parents,the reason being the devil became interested in me a Human with a powerful Sacred Gear.It was then I awakened my longinus in anger and pressure of the situation,after which Azazel discovered and saved me and decided to take me in.I always hated myself.If I didn't want to go the museum that day my parents would be still alive.If I didn't exist the people in the museum wouldn't have died that day..."
"H-How did you g-get over it?"
"Someone talked to me,that person made me realize that I cannot live in the past,I need to live in present looking at the future.He made me realize that the life isn't some story or a movie that is predestined,I can change it.My life has value and meaning to it he told me."An image of Azazel flashed in Ren's mind.
A long silence followed as Ren answered Koneko.
"Since Ren-senpai told me about his past... I guess I can't say no..." Koneko took some long breaths in preparation before telling him her story.
She was a rare species among the nekomata named "Nekoshou". Nekoshou were stronger and more versed in Senjutsu and Youjustsu than their regular peers by default. And that basically put a target on their backs, to the point that the entire race is on the brink of destruction.
Koneko didn't know exactly how her parents died. She didn't even have solid memories of them, and the only family member she could rely on at that time was her older sister. Her name was Kuroka, and due to her exceptional talents, a devil ended up reincarnating her and adding her to their peerage as a bishop that consumed the two pieces.
And of course, that backfired spectacularly. She quickly grew stronger than her master and ended up slaughtering him and the rest of the peerage. She ran away after that and became a stray devil that was still being hunted to this day. Every devil or mercenary who managed to track her never returned.
And it seemed that she must have lost her mind, or she never cared, because she left Koneko alone in the middle of the crime scene.
That was a complete mess. The old devils decided the best course of action was to just pin all the blame on the younger sister even if she was completely traumatized by the events. They even went the extra mile to torture her to force a false confession out of her. Just to compensate the family of the devil who brought that onto himself.
If it wasn't because Sirzechs got involved and put an end to the farse, she would have been executed.
Though the problem was just swept aside, hoping that time would heal her deep scars, and this was the result.
"I want to get stronger... I want to fight alongside Buchou and the others... I really want to... But I don't want to use these powers... I don't want to become a monster like Nee-san."
By the end of it, the always stoic Koneko was crying her heart out. It was a heartbreaking sight. Regardless of her race, an innocent little girl shouldn't make that kind of expression.
Ren's hand moved to caress her head, guided by a distant memory of himself in a similar situation. But he stopped it inches away. Koneko wasn't him. The one to do it was no longer by her side and she is on the side of the terrorists.
The only thing he could do was offer some advice. Trying to point her in another direction, one that might ease her emotions. The rest would be up to her.
"I know that the answer is obvious... But even if I try to control it... what if I lose control and end up hurting my friends? I wouldn't be able to bear it..."
In regular circumstances, he would tell her that there was no way using Senjutsu or Youjustsu would lead her into a Berserker state. However, the problem wasn't the techniques themselves.
"I really don't know what to say... If anything, I think the only reason you wouldn't be able to wield your powers safely is your own insecurity. You saw the way Kokabiel reacted when he saw me.Regardless of who you ask, the best way to describe me would be 'killing machine'."
"I'm not nearly as strong as you, senpai. I don't see myself constantly winning a fight against myself."
"Then don't do it."
"Eh?" Those simple words left her astonished. "Ren-"
"If you don't think you can do it on your own, then don't even try. Instead, unlike me, you have plenty of people to relay on. Rias, Akeno, Kiba, Asia... even Issei and Gasper. They will certainly run to your side without thinking twice. And if they can't for some reason... I'll definitely be there for you."
Even if he tried to keep his distance, he couldn't just turn a blind eye now that he has decided to involve himself in this mess.
"Huh?" But those thoughts were blown away the moment he noticed something resting on his side. When he lowered his sigh, he noticed a familiar mop of white hair. "Koneko? You-"
Whatever he was going to say was interrupted when he realized that she was fast asleep. Her face was a mess due to all her tears, but on her lips, there was a small smile. It seemed that all her fatigue got back at her the moment she relaxed.
"I guess I'll have to let you relay on me sooner than I expected..." His hand moved to whip her tears, and after some hesitation, caress her head.
The smile on her face only grew. He doubted his warmth wasn't even comparable to the one she received from her friends, or the one she once received from her sister. But it seemed this was enough for her.
After some minutes,Ren decided to let her alone rest and walked out of the room. And as fate might have it, he ran into a familiar face and one that had a suspicious resemblance.
"Ren? You came here, too?"
"Yes,Azazel dragged me into this mess.If you wish to talk with her, I don't think that's going to be possible for the next few hours. She fell fast asleep after we finished talking."
"Oh, I see... This wasn't the first time I came to see her, so it's okay, I guess... Besides, I'm sure you did a much better job than me,Ren. I didn't even know what to tell her..."Issei said remembering what Azazel said.
"Her problem isn't something that can be solved with just a motivational speech. But anyway..."Ren's golden eyes finally went to the woman beside Issei.
Her outfit clearly defined her as a noble, but her brown hair told him that she wasn't a Gremory, at least at birth. And her face... aside from being gorgeous, he found her really similar to Rias.
"Who the hell is she?"
"You are just as the rumor paints you to be.I am Venelana Gremory, Rias' mother. I hope your short stay here is pleasant."She said clearly amused by Ren's bluntness.
"Don't worry.Staying here for long isn't my desire."
"Why is that?Doy you think the mansion is not good enough?"
"Too luxurious for my taste."
"Well, if you don't mind, I'll go clean myself and freshen up."
"I'll go with you then! I haven't had one since I went to the mountain, and this is our opportunity to finally have some bro talk!"
In another parallelism between the manors of the two families, they had a replica of a thermal bath. Both teenaged let out relaxed sighs as they entered the bathtub, and lost track of time as the tension left all their muscles.
"So... what's been of you, Sensei? It's been almost three weeks since I've heard of you." Issei asked after finally remembering the point of this.
"Not much.Fought a bunch of Old devils,woke a sleeping beauty and am supposed to meet her in sitri territory and had a talk with our resident Nekoshou ."
"Wow... Just, wow... And I thought living in the mountains and being chased by a dragon was already nuts..Your life is like some prince from Princess story."
"How is it going in the Sacred Gear department."Ren asked changing the topic.
"I haven't reached the Balance Breaker yet... According to Azazel and Ddraig, my body is finally able to handle it to some extent, but I need some kind of emotional trigger to awaken it."Issei said as he looked down.
"I see... That only means that you will be able to achieve it when it's really required. And talking about training, how are the others doing? Aside from Rias and Koneko, I didn't see anyone else."
"Oh, about that, Akeno is more or less working to come into terms with her Fallen Angle blood. Asia must be with her, working to expand the effective range of her sacred gear. Azazel-sensei sent Gasper to the city so he could start dealing with his anthropophobia, and if I remember correctly, Kiba went to train with his original sensei again. Did you know that his sensei is THE Okita Souji, who was reincarnated by Sirzechs'sama?"The last part did cause Ren to raise his brows