"She's interesting, but that's it. I already plan on going back to 'that' place in a week or two."
The place Igor mentioned was the time chamber. Even if these devils were Falbium's servants, he wouldn't dare mention such a precious artifact in their presence.
"Oh? Won't you miss the war, brother?"
"No. I'll be there in time. Don't worry about it, brother. But I'm glad this whole mess is over with. I already miss home."
His mind revisited the matter with Shuri. This time, he won't cause a fuss.
.
|DxD|
.
Time passed relatively well in the Underworld. Hours had passed since the announcement yet excitement over the Overhaul Policy had yet to die down. The night sky was brightened up by the continuous explosion of fireworks and magical displays.
Just over three hours were left until midnight yet no one was asleep. Even New Year's celebration paled in comparison to the devils's fervour.
In a house located far in the outskirts, several powerful people were finally saying their goodbyes. If normal people saw this scene, their eyes would bulge out of their sockets. It was rare to see such influential people of different races casually conversing with each other without animosity.
The Four Satans personally escorted their esteemed delegates out. Naturally, Shirone and Kuroka were with Yasaka, Sun Wukong, and Atid. Standing next to them were Aurelia and Igor while Sirzechs and his friends stood on the other side.
Truth be told, Sirzechs wished they could stay a bit longer, but he was afraid Falbium would hate him if he did so. The amount of food Atid and Igor ate certainly racked up a hefty bill, not to mention they were walking natural disasters when they were together.
Maybe it wasn't so bad they were leaving after all.
"Thank you all for coming today. Your help was greatly appreciated and we hope you all have a safe journey."
Yasaka's smile was gentle.
"Your hospitality is appreciated, Lucifer-sama. We al-"
"Yes, yes, yes. We thank you for taking care of us and so on and so on. Can we leave now? We've had more than enough politics for one day."
Naturally, Sun Wukong was not willing to put up with these meaningless pleasantries. He stood next to Igor with a clearly defiant expression. His aberration for honeyed words was made very clear.
"You tell them, monkey sage. Who knows how long we'll be here for if they continue talking."
Igor also followed suit. His arms were crossed in mock annoyance. He initially wasn't going to say anything, but Sun Wukong's outburst gave him the confidence. Unfortunately, that confidence would be brought down by an unexpected variable
"Hihihihi~. You're funny nya~."
Shirone let out a giggle that surprised everyone. Everyone's eyes fell on this little Neko standing next to her sister. Her cute laughter certainly raised a few eyebrows and someone's blood pressure.
Kuroka was on the verge of having a heart-attack. Her little sister's naive personality might've just earned her the ire of a very powerful person.
She was just about ready to apologise in her stead when Igor responded in a very unexpected manner. In full view of everyone, he analysed Shirone like a scientist before speaking confidently.
"Cute. Of course not as cute as my sisters, but cute nonetheless."
The arrogance and pride in his tone could not be mistaken. Compared to his cute little sisters, this little cat could be placed at number three.
"..."
Shirone did not take kindly to that. She let go of her sister's hand, marched up to him, and grabbed his pants.
"Maaaa~. I'm cute!"
Her expression was fierce and her glare could melt hearts. Igor placed his palm on her head and condescendingly smiled. Shirone's scrunched-up face was cute, but not enough to change his evaluation.
"Yes. Yes you are. But not as much as my sisters. You're cuter than Rias though."
"WHAT?!"
Sirzechs reacted in a very predictable fashion. Igor's controversial statement lit a fire in him. The moment Rias was pulled into the conversation, all gloves were off, especially when someone belittled her.
He marched towards Igor and grabbed the blonde by the shoulder.
"I'll have you know Ria-tan is the CUTEST in the entire world!"
"Heh~. You forgot to add 'under'. As for my sisters, they're the cutest in the entire supernatural world!"
"No! Ria-tan is…"
"Asia and Akeno are!"
"How can they both be number one!"
"Hmph! An ignorant person like you will not understand even if I explain it to you ten times!"
"Maawuu! I'm cuter! I'm the cutest nya!"
On the side, Ajuka tuned out the conversation.
[Here we go again.]
It was a comical sight. A little girl, a teenage boy, and a young man were all arguing about who looked cuter. Shirone supported herself by frequently interjecting. Igor agreed with her and said she was the cutest 'in the Underworld'. Sirzechs repeatedly fought for Rias to have the title of 'Cutest in the Universe', but the other two instantly shut him down.
[What is…going on?]
Kuroka was frozen by confusion and shock. She felt as if her whole worldview had been overturned. Her little sister was communicating with two powerhouses as if they were equals.
Aurelia released a helpless sigh. She knew best how Igor could be when Asia and Akeno were thrown into the conversation. He could argue from dawn to dusk about his little sisters's cuteness. Even a rock would have to concede defeat.
On the other side, Ajuka wished Grayfia was here. Atleast someone would have their ear pulled and their brain reset. He could swear Sirzechs lost his IQ whenever Rias was mentioned.
[Atleast Serafall isn't involved in all of…hm?]
"My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is…"
Her mutters were very quiet and repetitive. She was biting her finger nail while glaring at the trio arguing over who was the cutest. Of course her So-tan was the cutest!
"..."
Ajuka felt he should find a suitable heir to replace him soon. His friends were too…eccentric. If this continued, he feared he'd turn crazy.
[If only Diodora wasn't a disappointment.]
His younger brother was nearing his twenties, yet he seemed intent on debasing himself with women instead of pursuing excellence. Ajuka had long since lost any love and hope for this kind of waste.
.
|DxD|
.
Kuoh Town, Japan
.
It was night in the town of Kuoh. The streets were silent except for a few people. In such cold weather, few were willing to remain lurking around. One of those few was Shuri.
She sat alone on the porch outside the house. The winds carried a coldness which only served to arouse a bad premonition in Shuri's heart. Today would be the day Igor and Aurelia returned. The girls were already put to sleep a while ago. She didn't want them to witness anything bad that might happen.
She wondered what his reaction would be if he saw her. Would he be angry? Forlorn? Unwilling? Whatever it might be, she could accept it. Shuri was willing to tolerate many things, but not his indifference.
[Perhaps I was too rash.]
As the hours dwindled closer to midnight, her thoughts became more restless. There was no helping it. Despite trying to keep herself calm, she found herself growing more and more nervous with each passing minute.
[Aurelia-san told me they'd be arriving soon.]
There was some element of regret, but there was no use mingling with the past. What's done is done. She could've been gentler with her words to Igor, but tripping herself over the matter would no longer help.
Gradually, the minutes trickled by in silence. She wore a light dress over her nightwear in an effort to preserve her modesty. This wasn't adequate attire in such cold weather, but her natural affinity towards fire gave her some element of cold resistance.
So she waited in silence. Her eyes were closed, making her seem as if she was asleep. However, her senses were spread far and wide, just waiting for the moment they'd appear.
And appear they did. A golden magic circle formed before they flashed into existence.
Vwong!
.
|DxD|
.
Truth be told, Igor also felt a sense of apprehension when he knew he'd see Shuri once more. It wasn't that he feared her, but was ashamed of his actions. His emotions got the better of him and he ran away like a coward.
Thankfully, some good came out of this situation. His little time away allowed him to come to terms with many things. His aunt was dead and he wronged this woman by seeing her as the same Shuri he knew.
So when he saw her, there was no need for hesitation.
Su!
Dust and rubble took his place by Aurelia's side. He appeared in front of Shuri and grabbed her by the shoulder before vanishing once more along with her.
Su!
"..."
Aurelia was left alone in the yard. She felt Igor and Shuri stop just a few kilometres north. She did not intend to chase after them. She understood Igor may want to have some privacy with Shuri. She knew his character so she wasn't worried anything untoward would happen.
"Since he said he'd handle it, I'll believe him."
She did not know how Igor would navigate around this issue, but she trusted his adaptability.
.
|DxD|
.
Deep in the forest, Igor stood away from Shuri by a metre or two. There was an ambiguous silence between them only filled by the sounds of crickets and other insects.
Igor found it hard to extricate himself from her eyes. Her amber gaze was like a window that betrayed her nervousness.
"Shuri."
He called out her name with a semblance of calm neutrality. Skirting around the issue was not his forte. It was easier for everyone if he dealt with this issue right now instead of avoiding each other's eyes for the next few days.
"I will not apologise for my behavior. I believe in action more than simple words."
It was an ideal his father had. For as long as he could remember, Igor never heard his father say the word 'sorry'.
"I acknowledge my actions were disgraceful. I shamefully ran from the truth and caused further trouble for you."
"Igor. You-"
"Please let me finish."
Slowly, he closed his eyes before he opened them once again. This time, they were red and glowed ominously in the darkness of the night. The added clarity to his sight allowed him to see what he so willfully missed.
"When I lost you, I was unwilling to accept my failure. When Lady Amaterasu told me of the consequences of your revival, I ignored them in favour of my own selfishness."
Beautiful, youthful, overflowing with vitality---a complete contrast to her more mature version. Overflowing power, the blood of dozens---a complete contrast to her previous self. He hated how he willingly blinded himself to her changes.
"I do not hold any blame over you for the words you said. You told me the truth, a truth I chose to ignore for a long time. I burdened you with the same expectations as your predecessor and that is inexcusable."
His eyes dimmed once more to their natural blue colour.
Sigh…
When he still thought of the days where he called her 'auntie', he wondered how much he hurt her. He felt regret, yet his admiration for this woman rose to another level.
"You no longer have to worry about me. I've accepted the truth for what it is and I thank you for it."
.
AN
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If you're interested, their's five extra chaps on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Just look for HolyGambler. The comments are once again, greatly appreciated.
Thanks for reading and until the next chapter