[|||| =LEVEL 24= ||||]
"-Thanks for listening, and I hope to be back soon," I finished. I looked up at the Simurgh's stoic face. "Got that?" She nodded. "Good. Now you have your orders. This is the most important thing I'll ever have you do. Go." I opened a portal and waved her through it. It closed behind her and I stood in silence…
"Man I hope this works." I muttered. The house was silent around me. Nobody but me was home.
It felt lonely…
[|||| =-= ||||]
"Don't you have anything better to do?" The penguin asked me.
"No," I said plainly. I finished off my drink. "Another, please." After having that bath with Ainz, a bit of a weird experience since I'd never bathed with a man before, if Ainz could be considered a man. It was relaxing and I felt like relaxing more.
"I think you have a problem. Only Shalltear drinks this much."
"I'm not actually getting drunk right now. I just want a quiet place to sit down for awhile."
"What?! Then why are you ordering all of my good stuff?!" He looked at me accusingly.
"Because I like the taste. Besides, I am paying, aren't I?" The penguin wavered for a moment and then pushed me another bottle of the good stuff, though not without an indulging sigh. I didn't question how the penguin could sigh just like how he didn't ask why I was lazing around a bar at one PM.
I wasn't dodging any responsibilities for once. I just wanted a quiet place to laze around and the bar happened to be empty. Well, except for the mushroom man in the corner but he was very nearly a literal wallflower. Wallfungus… I knew that he was the normal bartender but if a penguin was willing to give me drinks I was willing to drink them… Some days my life made sense. This wasn't one of those days.
"So… since you're not leaving I guess I have to talk to you." The penguin pulled up a stool and stood on top of it, putting his flippers on the bar.
"No you don't. Why can't the fungus guy bartend? Is it his day off or something?"
"He only works weekends. At times I, the great Eclair, must lower myself to bartending. But someday, someday, I will sit upon the throne of Nazerick and all shall bow before me! YES! This is just but one step in my grand plan!" I stared at the penguin.
"Sure, man. Good luck with that."
"PAH! Luck is for those who need it! It's only a matter of time!" I nodded along with him. "Ah, but first my duties! … So why are you here?"
"I'm just resting."
"Ah, I see, I see… why?" I blinked. Why was I resting?
"I guess I just don't have anything better to do. I could read something, play a game, go slay some monsters, or anything but I just feel like sitting somewhere quiet. What better place to do that than here?"
"TRUE! The bar is the finest place in not only Nazerick but the WORLD! Fit for divinity themselves!" I sipped the ale. It was sweet. It was better than the wine at some of the parties Yasaka dragged me to so the penguin wasn't wrong. Eclair, he said his name was?
"So which of the supreme beings made you?"
"Ankoro Mochi Mochi, of course!" That was a weird ass name for a person but alright.
"Can you tell me about him?"
"HER!" He yelled. "Mochi Mochi was a wonderful, kind, and utterly perfect lady of class and refinement! Her skills in the culinary arts have influenced Nazerick to this very day! Myself and Pestonya have upheld her legacy with VALOR and PRIDE!"
"You're clearly enthusiastic about this but could you quiet down a little? I came here for peace and quiet, not to get yelled at."
"Of course. Sorry, Mister Mavros."
"Thanks. So Mochi Mochi was a chef? I thought all of the supreme beings were more focused on combat."
"Most of them were. Mochi Mochi, of course, was recruited for her immense mastery of cooking! Her works were so fine that, when consumed, filled Nazerick's supreme beings with passion and vigor beyond that of any norm! Besides that she was a stellar mage, though the greatest mage of Nazerick is and was Lord Ainz."
"Magical food?" I hadn't heard that one before. The agriculture I made for Nature's bounty sort of counted but that wasn't too edible and was more along the lines of magical plants than magical cooking.
"Indeed! I have some skill in the art. Care for a dish?"
"Sure. Surprise me."
"I shall!" The penguin excitedly waddled off behind a door to do his thing. I pulled out my phone and checked the time. I had six hours before I needed to meet with Yasaka. I still had plans for Earth Bet on my phone. I selected them all and moved them to a folder. I was still pissed about how wrong things had gone there. Fucking Taylor… I tried, at least. That counted for something. And I still got the Simurgh under my control.
Nevermind that. I didn't want to think about it. It was a failure to me and I had to focus on other things now. Should I pick up a gift for Kunou? She would probably be happy to just watch a show and eat some snacks. Yasaka wanted me to go celebrate the end of the Old Satan Faction with her. I wouldn't be doing any politicking myself but I did need to have a chat with Gabriel. It might not be any of my business what she was scared about but I still wanted to know. I just had a bad feeling about it.
Besides, new runes to learn? I was pretty interested in that.
Finally Eclair waddled out of the kitchen, a plate balanced on a flipper. "Here, an oven baked, wood stove, dragon meat pizza!" I wasn't expecting that.
"Dragon meat?" I looked at the pizza. Instead of pepperoni it had salami-like sheets of meat layered over it. It seemed kind of like muscle, devoid of any visible fat.
"Indeed! Poison dragon meat, though be assured that it's entirely safe to eat, not that actual poison dragon venom will harm you I'm sure. The dough is simple but the cheese is from demonic goats, giving it a spicy tang that goes with the poison dragon meat. There are other ingredients if you're interested in hearing about them."
I was already taking a bite. I gave a grunt of surprise at the flavor. It was REALLY spicy pizza. After a moment, though, the spice faded away to a much nicer burn. "I like it." I said, grinning at it. I'd never had a spicy pizza before.
"HA! Of course! My cooking skills are unrivaled and someday I shall stand at the PINNACLE OF COOKING!" I let him yell this time in favor of taking a few more bites.
"Could I get something sweet to go with this?"
"AND I-hm? Oh! Yes, of course. Will pineapple juice do? We've also got cranberry juice, lemonade, several kinds of milk, blood…"
"Pineapple juice sounds good." The penguin waddled off again just as a newcomer entered the bar.
"Oh, hello Lord Abyss." The succubus, Albedo, smiled at me. If it wasn't for my ability to read auras I would never have known that she didn't like me.
"Hello, Albedo. Not expecting me?"
"I was not. I'll leave you to your me-"
"No, no, I could use some company. If you were looking for a drink then sit down."
"I really-" I looked into her soul. She wanted a drink. She just didn't want to sit near me.
"Sit down." I flicked my wrist and she teleported into the seat next to me. Eclair waddled out of the kitchen again.
"Oh! Albedo! The usual?"
"… Yes please, Eclair." She said, sounding a little strained. He slid me my juice and I took a grateful sip. It did wonders for the spiciness of the dragon pizza.
"So why don't you like me?" I asked Albedo.
"I don't have any opinion on you, frankly, if that's what you mean." She lied.
"Liar. Is it just because I'm not a part of Nazerick? You seem like the only one that doesn't like me around here."
"My dislike for you won't impact my work. I'll obey the commands you've given Lord Ainz." Her aura twitched.
"Ahh, you're inclined to hate me because I've commanded Ainz to stay away from acting freely," she was silent but I was clearly correct here. "Hmm… is it a human thing? I've heard a fair bit about 'puny humans' since I've come here. I'm starting to think that you consider humans lesser than, what do you call yourselves? Heteromorphs?"
"I feel that our goals require methods you consider distasteful. I'm no friend to anyone who hinders my lord." She said, barely holding back from snapping at me. Eclair waddled out with what looked like a cross between a margarita and red wine. Whatever it was it smelled good. I could sense a little blood in it too. I kind of wanted one.
"Fair enough. I wasn't asking when I told him to avoid innocent deaths. To be fair, a lot of goals are made much easier when you've conquered the world. I haven't exactly barred him from that but it's much harder now than it was before I arrived." She nodded and sipped her drink.
"On the other hand, I'm probably Ainz's only friend and I've been helping more than harming by participating in the adventurer's party Ainz set up. That doesn't help balance the scales?"
"You are not loyal to Nazerick. I'm sorry, but I can't accept someone like that as anything more than an acquaintance." She clearly wasn't sorry.
"I see," I thought about that for a moment. Some might have thought that our silence was awkward but I thought that it was more understanding. "Well I'd like to get to know you. You're the foremost of Nazerick's guardians, aren't you? Tell me about that."
"I was made to lead the floor guardians," she said with quiet pride. "It is my duty to manage them and support Lord Ainz whenever possible."
"That's your duty? Administration?"
"And as the final means of defense should invasion come to Nazerick. Of course, I'm of little use against the likes of the supreme beings." She gave me a stink eye at that.
"I see. You must have a lot of free time, then."
"I do not," she sounded almost defensive. "I spend every waking hour looking after my lord and the guardians." I thought about that for a moment.
"You help them in their duties?"
"I do."
"Are you required to do that?"
"No?" She sounded uncertain about that.
"I think I get it. You're something of the mother of Nazerick, keeping everything in order and looking after everyone."
"I-but Lord Ainz is… yes." She was blushing. I smelled blood in the water. Lord Ainz… and calling her the mother of Nazerick.
"Oh? Does someone have a puppy crush?" I grinned at her.
"I am honored to serve my Lord. But I could never serve as his only wife." She said abashedly, a slightly creepy grin coming over her face.
"Right-wait, only?"
"Of course. It's absolutely necessary for Lord Ainz to have more than one wife. Anything less would be absurdly unfit for a supreme being such as him, though his decision in this is absolute of course."
"… Huh." I thought of Ainz, the stiff backed skeleton - hey wait a second.
"How would that work? Would being his wife just be a status symbol or…"
"It would be my duty to… to bear an heir for-" Albedo turned aside and buried her face in her elbow. I heard a muffled squeal come from her. "Ahem, to bear an heir for Ainz." A dreamy expression was over her face.
… This girl was a total weirdo. She knew that he couldn't… do that, right? Maybe with some sort of magic he could briefly be a different race and do the deed. Maybe there was a magic ritual to do that. I was never big on those.
"Is there a ritual to get him to a different race or is it some sort of soul magic?" Albedo's face scrunched up. "I needed to splinter off a bit of my soul to have a kid with Ophis since she's… well it's complicated but-"
"Can't Lord Ainz… no. Nonono, there's a way. Of course there is. It's meant to be." She was almost freaking out. I started getting worried that she was falling into a panic attack. Was she just repressing this until now?
"If things are desperate I can turn him to life, if briefly." I said quickly.
"You can?!" She looked at me with crazed eyes.
"Well yes but-"
"Please, Lord Abyss! Help my lord produce an heir!" She fell off of her seat, knocking it to the floor, and kneeled before me.
"That can be taken VERY out of context-"
"Please!" I sighed.
"Fine. But I'd need to do some experiments. I've never brought a being so close to death back to life before. I could end up permanently making him alive or actually killing him. So I'll need some undead."
"Of course!"
"… Are you going to get back up?"
"Of course." She set the stool up again and smiled brightly, a slightly manic edge to it.
"So thanks for talking to me. It's been nice to have company. But I'm done with my food and I've got to go soon." I didn't have to but Albedo was creeping me out. She reminded me of some of my most ardent followers, who I tried to not think about.
"Of course, Lord Abyss. If you can truly give Nazerick a chance for an heir to Nazerick I would be personally in your debt." She bowed in her seat, managing to be graceful despite her positioning.
"I'll consider it a small favor to a friend. Tell Ainz the good news for me, won't you?"
"Gladly." I teleported out of there and regretted inviting Albedo to chat with me. I really had a hard time noticing the crazies, didn't I? On second thought that was a complete understatement. Everyone I knew was crazy somehow, though I hardly had room to judge.
[|||| =-= ||||]
"Mom, he's here!" I heard little footsteps pound on the floor of Yasaka's penthouse. Kunou flew around the corner and smiled brightly as she looked at me.
"I heard, Kunou," Yasaka called from her bedroom. "I'll be there in a second." Her daughter probably didn't hear her. She was too busy squeezing the life out of me after a successful tackle-hug.
"Where are you going this time? More boring parties?" She looked up to me inquisitively.
"Horrible, horrible parties. And you know how pissed she was when I sent a parallel."
"That clone?"
"Yup."
"I think it was worth it! I still have the rune array we made in my bedroom!"
"You didn't have to deal with her glaring and angry letters for two weeks. Your mom's scary when she's angry."
"Good!" The yokai yelled smugly from her room.
"Hmm, did you try kisses?" I grinned a bit.
"I didn't try that, no. In hindsight that probably would have worked."
"Duh," Kunou got on her tiptoes and pulled my head down to her mouth. "She's a softie to hugs and kisses! I set the kitchen on fire once and she forgave me after I kissed her cheek!" I was pretty sure that Kunou's crocodile tears were more effective than hugs and kisses but…
"I'll keep that in mind." We shared a grin before Yasaka finally showed herself, looking beautiful as always in another kimono, soft grey this time.
"Can we do more with runes later?" Kunou begged, her ears laying flat on her head and her eyes widening. Everything about her changed to look as cute as possible. Even her tails got a little droopy.
"Of course we will." The pitiful look fell from her and she smirked victoriously, like I'd refuse if she just asked normally.
"Sweet!" She raced off again towards her room to do something, already knowing the procedure, and Yasaka grabbed my arm to walk me to the portal room.
"The Satans are all there so at least say hello to Sirzechs. He's hosting this, after all. He'll make an inspiring speech, everyone will cheer, and I managed to wrangle a promise out of him that he won't make you do anything public. He'll thank you and sing a few praises and everyone moves on." She pinched me as I began to zone out. I muttered an apology that she ignored. The portal room opened for us and we waited at the edges of the circle.
"You'll also need to talk to Rias Gremory and the Red Dragon Emperor, Issei Hyodo." I groaned. "He's not that bad," she said a bit defensively. "He's a nice boy, even if he is oddly obsessed with breasts and his harem. And don't groan. You, at least, don't have a pair that he'll glue his eyes to." She closed an arm around her breasts and sighed, drawing my eyes to them.
"Oh, and Michael and Azazel are there. Say hello and don't punch Azazel." She growled.
"We're over that. I threatened him, he cursed out my mother, he punched me, I punched him. All's balanced. I actually met him and his secretary and first mistress a month ago. Penemue, I think her name was."
"She's also his granddaughter, just so you know," I made an uncomfortable noise and decided not to think about that little fact. I didn't know why I expected differently from a fallen angel. At least he was less debaucherous than the greek gods. "So, questions?" I saw the crystal of the room turn red, a sign that the teleport spell was ready.
"What do I do if Ophis shows up again?"
"Don't."
"Got it. Hug her and shuffle her off somewhere so that the devils stop screaming. I'll break out the emergency cookies if I have to. Last question, want to play runes with Kunou and I later?" She needed to think about that for a moment.
"Alright." She smiled at me and tapped the crystal. And then we were in a different place. The hooded person in the corner lowered their hands and we walked ahead.
After a while all the devils' portal corridors looked the same. Plain room, fancy corridor, maybe some art, and boom, you were in a fancy dance room or a lounge or wherever the meeting was taking place. If I were to make a portal room I'd do something fancy, draw some runes on the wall or put a fake sky above someone's head. Maybe I'd add some floating candles like Helen does for her dining hall. Gold and silks and fine carpeting were expensive but just not that unique as far as decorations go.
It at least made it easier to make my way through whoever's manor I was in. Sirzechs' probably, since Yasaka mentioned that he was hosting. Then again, Sirzechs probably owned a manor for every day of the year with how rich the Gremories were. And Satans weren't known for being poor.
I tracked down my first target quickly. I just looked for the largest crowd of people. "Sirzechs!" I smiled my fakest smile and he smiled back, the groupies around him shuffling out of the way for me.
"Abyss! Wonderful to see you again. Thank you for your help at the invasion."
"It was no issue. I was just in the neighborhood." I wanted to move on and play with Kunou already. At least I only had to attend these parties once every few weeks.
"Visiting the underworld? Well, feel free to visit anytime. And maybe let Serafall know next time. She'd love to see you. She's actually across the manor, giving a show to the kids."
"I might go see her. Thanks, Sirzechs." He nodded and returned to chatting with the groupies. I heard the word 'taxes' and 'abolishment' before I left. I didn't want to be a part of that conversation in the slightest.
The next person was going to be similarly easy to find. I sensed with my aura for a moment and looked towards the lustiest person in the room, who happened to feel like scales and raw power. Next to him was clearly Sirzechs' sister, Rias, who felt like force, erosion, and… attachment? Oh, possession. That made much more sense for a devil.
I walked closer to them before I got distracted. A short girl with white hair was raiding a table full of food and wines for sweets. I saw at least three croissants piled on a plate. She felt like a yokai and had an active aura. Touki. Observing her was the tipping factor that made me approach her.
"So you're Koneko, then." I walked up behind her and subtly pulsed my aura, pushing amusement and interest into her. The girl choked on her food and dropped her plate. I caught it with magic and floated it onto the table.
"Who… you." She glared at me.
"Me," I affirmed. "I don't suppose you've heard from Kuroka?"
"She's pregnant."
"So she has talked to you. Well, to formally introduce myself, I'm Abyss, and I suppose I'm your step-brother now. Nice to meet you."
"… Koneko." She was suspicious.
"Did I do something wrong?" My smile fell a bit.
"You use touki." She sounded agitated now.
"I call it aura, but yes. What of it?"
"Using that will kill you. It's why sis went crazy." I stared at her. That was so ridiculous that I actually sent out a probe with mind magic to make sure she wasn't crazy. She wasn't.
"I've no clue where you heard that but it's very, very wrong. Touki is the force of your soul made physical, a manifestation of it, you might say. You can't actually 'use' it any more than you can use an arm. It's always there. If you're not using it you have to be actively suppressing it."
"Mh." She didn't agree with me.
"Look, aura isn't what I wanted to talk about, though I'd be happy to give you a lesson or two, show that it's not going to make you go crazy and kill people. I just want to say hello, maybe get to know you."
"… Want a croissant?" She held one out to me and I smiled as I took a bite. Then I grimaced.
"What the heck is this? Cranberry?" I looked down at whatever was in it and yup, that was definitely cranberry. "What sort of psychos are cooking here?" And when I looked up Koneko was gone, speaking to Issei.
"WHAT?! HEY, BASTARD!" I groaned.
"Oh, fuck off." I muttered. Yasaka could be mad at me all she wanted. From that yell alone I knew that there was no way I was talking to that guy. I teleported towards Gabriel and made my way through the crowd. I was going to ditch the party as soon as possible. Maybe hugs and kisses actually worked to cool Yasaks's temper? I sure hoped so.
Gabriel and Michael were outside with some people with magic-laden souls, probably magicians of some breed. Azazel was loudly flirting with some devil lady at a bar.
"Quit it, or are you really up to date with underworld fashion?" The lady asked, blushing slightly.
"I assure you, I know how to take off every piece of fashion." He hit the lady with a half smile and a suggestive look. She laughed and blushed harder. Then he noticed me.
"Abyss! Is the miss taking a nap again?"
"No, she's playing with her new pet."
"Her… what?"
"Pet dragon, a feral one I think. I'm doing my best to pretend it doesn't exist."
"Uh-huh. So I heard that you got a sacred gear from this whole old satan faction." I grinned a bit. I wondered if he'd be interested.
"Sephiroth Graal." His eyes widened.
"I ever mention how we're best friends? Because we totally are!"
"That's how I know you'll forgive me for locking it into a trophy room. It makes for a fantastic coffee table prop."
"Okay, don't screw with me here. You know how often a longinus comes around? Like twice a century! Work with me here!"
"I'll loan it to you after I do some stuff. But I've got a condition." I leaned forwards and put my hands on the table. "It's broken into three pieces. I've got all of them and they're working together but there's a problem. The gear can't alter the soul of it's wielder. I think it's a safety measure. Don't want to rip the soul of the wielder apart, you know. I need you to deactivate that safety so I can tear a parasite out of my soul."
Azazel stared at me.
"Sure," he kicked back in his chair and shrugged. "Just bring it by and I'll study it. It might take awhile, though. All of the sacred gears are unique. Some are prisons, some are artificial souls, some are magical generators, and so forth. Long story short, let me study it first. So… gimme?" He held his hand out and made a grabbing motion.
I pulled the gear out of my soul and handed it to him. It took the form of a shiny gold cup encrusted with jewels. "Shiny," he smirked, barely hiding his greed. "I'll get back to you as soon as I can." He stood up and, clutching his new toy to his chest, just about skipped away from me. "See ya later, best friend!" I shook my head and glanced at the lady he was flirting with a minute ago. She looked pissed at me. Awfully brave of her considering that I could probably smite her entire species. I rolled my eyes and walked away.
Last stop, Gabriel and Michael. Then I can do things I actually want to do.
I made my way at a casual stroll towards the two, glimpsing Yasaka out of the corner of my vision speaking to a pale woman, a chilly aura around her. It was dark, cruel, and cold. I was pretty sure that was Mab… Didn't Ophis steal cookies from her? Note to self, ask her about cookies.
The minor god Gabriel was talking to, an Indian asura with horns like a buffalo's, looked nervously over her shoulder at me enough that she finally turned around to see me. I waved happily at her and she grimaced. Then Michael noticed and, to his sister's relief, stepped forwards to speak to me.
"Abyss, It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Michael, as I believe you know." We shook hands for a moment. His was a bit stiff.
"Of course, though I've mostly talked to your sister as I'm sure you know."
"Yes… I do." Oh right, the video of our first meeting.
"Not that. I meant the last time we talked." He blinked once and blushed.
"No, I was… nevermind. It's come to my attention that we have some things to discuss in private."
"Right now, then? Because this isn't exactly the place and I have an appointment to get to soon. How about we meet tomorrow?"
"Perfectly fine. In fact, would you mind if we spoke in heaven?"
"I don't mind at all. I've always wondered what it looks like up there." He smiled.
"I'll see you then. For now, though, would you care to meet Rambha?" The man smiled at me stiffly.
"Maybe some other time." I smiled.
"Then good luck with your appointment." We smiled at each other once more and I walked off. Yasaka was looking at me suspiciously and I hurried a little harder, almost bumping into Ajuka Beelzebub on the way out.
I opened up the door to the portal room and made my own, slipping through space to Yasaka's apartment gleefully.
"I'm back!" I announced.
"Finally!" The girl raced across the apartment to me, her fox tails swishing excitedly behind her, the outer ones batting against the walls weakly. "Can we do more runes now?!"
"Put on a cartoon. I'll grab some snacks." She cheered as she ran back towards the living room. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a few sodas and food. I hadn't ever had dried seaweed before but it looked crispy and would probably do as a snack.
"Adventure time?" I asked as I walked close to Kunou, who was moving the coffee table away from the couch. The show she had on was something I had never seen before.
"I don't always like the older stuff." She puffed her cheeks out childishly.
"Sure, sure. Here. Your mom isn't one for unhealthy food, is she?"
"But iced tea is unhealthy, isn't it?" She asked confusedly.
"Only the really sugary kinds. But I was eating way worse things than you when I was younger. Ruby used to live off of cookies and sugary cereal."
"Ruby?" I winced.
"My younger sister. I'll tell you about her later." Kunou was smart enough to recognize how I didn't want to talk about her and simply nodded.
"So you mentioned logic gates last time. Also, how do you make delayed effects?" I grinned.
"Logic gates are something I snagged from engineering. Here," I pulled a textbook from my soul space and dropped it on the table, flipping it to the right page, the one with pictures. "And as for delayed effects, what have you tried so far?"
"Making longer lines. I tried spirals but I spent ten minutes on a line and it only held off the effects for a second or two. Maybe one and a quarter, to be specific."
"You have to use obstacles."
"Huh?"
"Slow down the magic running through the runes with an impediment. If it's ink on paper like we're using that means adding a few dashes through the lines. The thicker the dash the longer the pause, though you could also add more lines. I use lines thick enough to last one second and add more dashes for more time."
"Oh, that's like the opposite of onmyōdō!" She said, staring at the logic gate diagrams. Her tails were still swishing behind her.
"What do you mean?"
"You're supposed to never cross any lines in onmyōdō or everything goes boom."
"I thought they went boom if you mixed in mundane blood to your ink?"
"That too. It also explodes if your scribbles are completely circular, if they're full of breaks at the wrong points, if you design it to release too much energy… onmyōdō seals explode a lot."
"Runes don't explode. They just don't work half the time and you have to do everything again."
"Bleurgh, so boring."
"Can onmyōdō break space and time?"
"Yes!"
"Can it hold a portal in a fixed portion of space?"
"I-no, well, not for long but yeah!"
"Runes can do that."
"Can your runes fit on a paper?!"
"Of course not. That's what enchantments are for!"
"Onmyōdō can do everything an enchantment can and more." Kunou's tails swished while her ears folded down, a smug expression crossing her face.
"Throw some water at those scribbles and they're toast. They also rely on a divine power source."
"Who has just a bunch of water laying around?"
"Mages." She grimaced and sighed shortly.
"That's why combat onmyōdō talismans are stored in pocket spaces." A familiar voice said behind me. I stood a little straighter and Kunou swallowed thickly.
Show time. Like Kunou claimed, kisses solved everything.
I stood up, faced Yasaka, and gave her a peck at the edge of her lips. Her tails stood straight. "You're just on time! Kunou was learning runes. I'm sure you have a lot to contribute." I gently swept her feet from under her and she was too stunned to fight back, just as planned. I gave a look to Kunou and she started babbling about runes versus onmyōdō and some of her ideas on using both or combining them. I chimed in from time to help out in overwhelming Yasaka.
By some miracle Kunou managed to draw her mother's attention to the runes, rather than me. I gave her a grin and we kept working together. It took hardly any time at all before Yasaka's own expertise was added to our experiments.
[|||| =-= ||||]
"Shouldn't there be a horizont…-al line here?" Kunou paused mid-sentence to yawn, showing off her canines. Her head was resting on her right hand and she was slowly sinking lower to the table by the minute.
"No, it can be slanted. Keeping it horizontal just makes it simpler to do, a shorthand I tend to use." I explained. Yasaka was only half listening, more interested in taking pictures every few minutes of her sleepy daughter.
"Oh… why not teach it that way, then?"
"Because it's really easy to mess up."
"Mh… can you show me another rune? I think I've got this one." The girl really needed to go to sleep but I doubted that she'd just go to her bed. She was too eager to spend time with me, even if it wasn't productive for her… ah, I've got a trick.
"Sure, but look closely." I encouraged her. Her head rose from her hand with a glimmer of interest. I started drawing a compact rune, keeping the lines close together, and she leaned in close. Just as planned, she laid her arms on the table and leaned close. It only took a moment before she dropped her head on its side, staring at my hands drifting across the paper. I wrote in silence.
Half a minute later she was out cold, snoozing on the table. Yasaka quietly snickered and stood up, circling the table to pick up her child. "So sweet." She whispered with a smile.
"Should I leave now or…"
"You're staying the night."
I wasn't against that.