Words couldn't escape her lips. Did he not know he just described the duties of a husband? If she didn't know better, she'd think he was confessing to her. Kami did she hope that was the truth. Her body almost quivered in anticipation.
But…this stupid oaf did not know the effects of his words and unless she did something, he'd keep triggering reactions in her body and not take care of them.
"Dimori-kun. There might be something you can…help me with."
.
|DxD|
.
Forest Region, Kuoh Town
.
Something was wrong. That much was plainly obvious. But what was it? Igor couldn't figure out what was eating Shuri so much on the inside.
It's been a short while since they left the house and entered the depths of the forest. They'd encountered the odd bear, a few deer and a troop of monkeys, but none attacked or showed any apprehension at their presence.
They walked for a few kilometres at Shuri's insistence ever since she said she needed help. Igor didn't know what she needed help with so much that it involved entering the forest. He couldn't sense anything unusual in this entire forest so his focus moved back to her.
She walked slightly ahead and would only occasionally glance at him without saying a word. She was pensive. Be it her smell, her heartbeat, or her aura, they all betrayed her unstable mood.
If he didn't know Shuri's character, he'd believe she was leading him to some sort of ambush. He'd triple-checked multiple times to make sure this was indeed the real Shuri and not some trickster god trying to assassinate him.
Still, Igor didn't have an inkling of what's wrong with her. He'd been thinking on it ever since they left the house, but he had no clues on her sudden unusual actions.
[Did she perhaps find someone?]
It's possible. He wasn't confident on his prognosis, but he couldn't come up with another reason that could make her this nervous. If his thoughts were true, perhaps she was leading him to a spot where the man she's chosen would teleport to.
[But can it really be a matter of her male?]
Shuri had been acting somewhat strangely these past few days. She'd gone to Kyoto a bit more frequently than usual. There was the matter of her family pressuring him so…
[It's no use thinking like this. I'll find out when I get there.]
They trekked on deeper and deeper. The minutes trickled by in the dozens until finally, Shuri stopped just a few kilometres from the town barrier.
By her approximation, they were outside Aurelia's passive area of surveillance. She didn't want the woman listening in on her soon-to-be-made confession, especially since it'd involve certain secrets she only wanted Igor to know.
"D-Dimori-kun."
Her voice slipped. This moment hit her like freight train. What she was about to do could potentially place her on bad terms with the Shinto, but she needed him to trust her without scruple.
Igor was behind her and fully lucid. They were alone and this moment was perfect…so perfect she wished she didn't have to do this.
"Shuri?"
"..."
Her body shivered despite being immune to the cold.
"I…I…"
The words weren't coming out. Her heart thrummed so much she could feel it through her ches--
"?!?!?!"
Shuri almost collapsed when Igor's heavy hand landed on her shoulder. His palm on her shoulders was like a sledgehammer to the wall of her crumbling composure.
Trickle…Trickle…
Two streams of tears flowed down her cheeks. She felt fear…fear of what if…what if he rejected her?
"P-please give me a moment."
She didn't want to cry. The last thing she wanted to do was cry because if she did, Igor would feel she was manipulating him or worse…he'd accept her out of pity.
She tried to wipe her face, but they kept pouring out. Her breaths became choked and the lustre in her eyes was blurred by the watery curtain of her tears.
"Shuri."
Igor unhesitantly pulled her into a hug. Her erratic heartbeat, rapid breaths, and fluctuating aura worried him greatly. He had to hold himself from asking and instead, comfort her.
"I'm here. I'm for whatever you need, Shuri."
"I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't want it to be like this. I-I really didn't!"
"..."
They were far from civilization, far from the devils' or the churches' monitoring wards. They were outside Aurelia's perception and it'd take ten seconds at the very least for any energy fluctuations to be sensed.
This was…did she lead him into a trap? For a moment, his heart sunk.
"Did you betray me?"
For a long time, Igor told himself repeatedly that he'd kill anyone who betrayed him. But…if Shuri led him here into an ambush…he didn't know what he'd do. He couldn't even think at this moment.
"...?"
Shuri looked up in both confusion and trepidation. It took her some time to process Igor's casually spoken sentence. But when she saw his completely neutral expression, she could feel something dark within him on the verge of breaking out.
"What? No! No, I'd never betray you! You hear me!? NEVER!"
She quickly cupped his cheeks with a teary gaze. Her insecurities were completely blown away by his statement. How could he even think such a thing? Did he not know how much she owed him?!
"Listen to me. Listen to me, Dimori-kun. No matter what you do, I will never EVER betray you. Because…because…"
Her fervour was lost. His blue eyes penetrated her so deeply she had to lower her head.
"I love you…"
Her voice was silent, but it resounded loudly in his ears. She raised her head to meet his eyes once more, and for a moment…his breath hitched when her gaze met his.
"I love you, Dimori-kun."
.
|DxD|
.
Igor could expect many things, but nothing, absolutely nothing prepared him for Shuri's words. He wasn't prepared. He truly wasn't prepared.
Those three words were like the spark needed to start an engine. His awareness of her suddenly rose. Her soft hands on his cheeks, her rosy lips pursed in worry and anticipation, and…her eyes.
"..."
He was utterly and completely rendered stupid. Her confession was something he'd never guess in a million years. For her to love him romantically…---it was a sudden blow he never saw coming.
"Dimori-kun?"
"..."
He saw it in her teary gaze. Shuri…Shuri actually loved him. Those amber eyes let out such warmth and care he didn't know how to react.
"Shuri. Do you understand what you're saying?"
The dynamic between them would inevitably change. He could never go back to seeing her the same way again, not when she showed him those eyes…that amber glow that she still continued to show.
"I do. I know deep in my heart that I love you with my all my heart and soul."
"..."
For a moment, Igor felt disbelief, indignation, and helplessness all in that order. His brows were furrowed and his thoughts ran aimlessly without direction.
Shuri could see his displeasure. It stung how he took it. She'd perhaps expected his confusion, not his vexation. But…she wouldn't stop now. She couldn't stop now.
"Dimori-kun. "
She took his hands and gave him a bit of space.
"I've thought this through for months now. I know exactly what I'm saying and I promise you there are no lies or half-truths."
She had to do her best to maintain a steady voice. She had to convince him, show him she was ready and willing to accompany him for thousands of years. He had to know he could trust her, would never betray him, and would not hold him back.
"Dimori-kun…Igor."
She mustered the will to look into his eyes.
"This very life I have exists because of you. My daughter continues to have a mother because of you. I've been elevated from a woman barely worth anything to a Priestess under Amaterasu-sama because of you."
"..."
She took a deep breath. Her eyes were still stained with tears and his frown threatened to make them come out, but she held on.
"At some point in the future, you will figure out Amaterasu-sama has long since been wanting to match you with me. She desires to tie you to the Shinto through me. This is why she resurrected me, trained me, and elevated me to a high position. All of this was so I could become the ideal woman for you."
Igor didn't say anything, but Shuri could see his eyes glow red. He was angry…very angry. He probab--no, he heavily suspected even her current words were orchestrated by Amaterasu. He'd suspect this was all a ploy, that even the love she had for him was because of Amaterasu's compulsion.
She could've remained quiet and kept the truth to herself, but she didn't. It was inevitable he'd see through Amaterasu's plans one day. She didn't want him to distrust her when that time came.
"Dimori-kun."
She sighed helplessly. That crimson glow leaking distrust told her any words would be futile.
"I can guess you won't believe me no matter what I say after this. So…"
She let go of his hands and lowered her head.
"...please search my soul. I won't hide any secrets from you."
Fuush!
Bright flames erupted around her body. The Vermillion Bird inside her was rebelling. She could hear it scream incessantly in her head, warning her against such an action.
[I've already decided.]
She suppressed its flames and ignored its voice. Bearing her soul to Igor was the same as allowing him to do anything to her. He'd not only be able to see all her memories and secrets, he'd also be able to modify her personality.
Should he so wish, he could turn her into a crippled woman, or a slut. She was giving him the keys to her entire essence…because she trusted him.
"Please search me thoroughly, Dimori-kun. I will not resist you."
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AN
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Dear people. Shuri's gambit is…stupid. If it were me, I don't care how much I love you or trust you. If you could access my memories and soul, I wouldn't need to think about it. It's an instant no followed by a beatdown for even asking such a thing.
Shuri is drunk and I stand with the Vermillion Bird on this one. Giving someone administrator rights to your existence is just asking for trouble.