"She's coming to see you. NOW. I'm sorry."
Wait what?
I stared at the messages, my brain trying to process what I was reading. Sona's sister knew about us? And she was coming here? Right now?
"Shit," I muttered, standing up from my desk so fast my chair rolled backward. "Shit, shit, shit."
Serafall Leviathan. One of the Four Great Satans. Sona's overprotective older sister with a magical girl obsession and enough power to level countries.
And she was apparently on her way to give me the "big sister talk."
My phone buzzed again.
"Hide. Or run. I don't know. She's very... enthusiastic about protecting me." - S
Another buzz.
"Also she might freeze you into a popsicle if she doesn't like you." - S
"Great, Just great."
I could try to run, but where would I go? And honestly, running from Sona's sister felt like the worst possible first impression I could make.
I was still debating my options when the air in my office suddenly got colder. Not gradually. Instantly. Like someone had opened a portal to Antarctica.
A magical circle flared to life in the middle of my room, blue light casting dancing shadows on the walls. Sparkles. Actual sparkles were coming out of it.
"Oh no," I whispered.
The circle completed, and she stepped through.
Serafall Leviathan looked exactly like she did in the anime, except somehow more intense in person. Twin-tailed black hair, that ridiculous magical girl outfit complete with star-tipped wand, and an expression that was equal parts excitement and barely contained homicidal intent.
"Leon-kun☆!" she declared, pointing her wand at me dramatically. "So you're the boy who stole my precious So-tan's heart☆!"
I held up both hands, trying to project calm confidence instead of the mild panic I was feeling. "You must be Serafall-sama. Sona's told me a lot about you."
"Oh oh oh☆!" She bounced on her toes, eyes sparkling with an enthusiasm that somehow made her more terrifying. "You're even cuter than I imagined☆! I can see why my precious So-tan likes you☆!"
"Thank you?" I wasn't sure if that was the right response, but it seemed safer than anything else.
She circled me like a predator studying prey, though her smile never wavered. "But☆! Just because you're cute doesn't mean you get a free pass☆! You kissed my little sister☆!"
Ah. There it was.
"Yes," I said simply. No point in lying. "I did.
Serafall stopped circling, blinking at me in apparent surprise. "Eh☆? You're not going to deny it☆?"
"Why would I deny it?" I met her gaze directly. "It happened. I'm not ashamed of it."
For a moment, she just stared at me. Then her expression shifted to something more serious, though she still held her wand like she might use it.
"Do you care about her?" The question was simple, but I could feel the weight behind it.
"Yes, very much."
"Are you going to hurt her?"
"Not if I can help it."
"Not if you can help it?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "That's not a very reassuring answer."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Look, Serafall-sama, I can't promise I'll never hurt her feelings. People hurt people they care about sometimes, even when they don't mean to. But I can promise I'll never hurt her on purpose. And I'll do everything in my power to protect her."
Serafall studied me for a long moment, her head tilted like she was trying to solve a puzzle. "You're not what I expected."
"What did you expect?"
"Someone who would grovel☆! Or lie☆! Or try to bribe me with magical girl merchandise☆!" She paused. "Though if you happen to have any limited edition Magical Girl Milky figures☆..."
"I don't."
"..."
Another long moment of silence. Then, suddenly, Serafall's serious expression melted away, replaced by that terrifying cheerful smile.
"Okay☆!" she declared. "You pass the first test☆!"
"There are more tests?" I asked weakly.
"Oh yes☆! Lots and lots☆!" She bounced again, clearly delighted. "But don't worry☆! Most of them won't be life-threatening☆!"
"Most of them?"
"I have to make sure you're worthy of my precious So-tan☆!" Her expression turned deadly serious again. "She's the most important thing in the world to me☆. More important than politics, or the underworld, or anything☆. So if you hurt her..."
The temperature in the room dropped another ten degrees. Ice crystals started forming on my windows.
"I understand,"
"Good☆!" The ice vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "Oh, this is so exciting☆! My little sister's first love☆! I have to plan the wedding☆!"
"Wedding?" I choked.
"What kind of flowers do you like☆? Roses are classic but maybe too traditional☆! Ooh, what about ice sculptures☆? I could make them myself☆!"
"Serafall-sama," I said quickly, "don't you think we're getting a little ahead of ourselves?"
She blinked at me. "Are you saying you don't want to marry So-tan☆?"
The question hit me like a truck. Did I want to marry Sona? We'd literally just had our first kiss a few hours ago. But looking at Serafall's expectant expression, I realized there was only one safe answer.
"I..." I swallowed hard. "If Sona wanted that, someday, then yes. I would be honored."
Serafall squealed so loudly I was surprised the windows didn't shatter. "This is perfect☆! Oh, So-tan is going to be so happy☆!"
My phone rang, saving me from whatever wedding planning nightmare was about to unfold. Sona's name flashed on the screen.
"Answer it☆!" Serafall commanded. "Put it on speaker☆!"
I did as ordered, partly because refusing Serafall anything seemed like a bad idea right now.
"Leon?" Sona's voice was tight with worry. "Are you alive?"
"Still breathing," I confirmed.
"Leon-kun passed the first test☆!" Serafall announced cheerfully. "He's very polite☆! And he wants to marry you☆!"
There was a long silence on the other end of the line.
"He... what?" Sona's voice came out as barely a whisper.
I closed my eyes. "We'll talk about it later."
"Oh yes you will☆!" Serafall clapped her hands together. "Right now☆! I'm teleporting you both to a nice romantic restaurant☆!"
"That's really not—" I started.
"No arguments☆!" Another magical circle started forming. "So-tan needs a proper first date☆!"
Before I could protest further, the circle expanded beneath my feet. The world blurred, and suddenly I was standing in what looked like an upscale restaurant. Dim lighting, candles on every table, the works.
Another flash of light, and Sona appeared beside me, looking slightly disheveled and very, very embarrassed.
"Onee-sama," she said through gritted teeth, "what did you do?"
"I got you a romantic dinner reservation☆!" Serafall beamed, completely ignoring the death glare her sister was giving her. "The best table in the house☆!"
"This is kidnapping," I pointed out.
"This is matchmaking☆!" Serafall corrected cheerfully. "Now sit sit sit☆! You two have so much to talk about☆!"
Sona and I exchanged a look. There was no point in arguing with Serafall when she was like this. We reluctantly took our seats at the table she'd indicated.
"I'll be watching from over there☆!" Serafall pointed to a booth across the restaurant where she'd apparently already ordered herself a parfait. "Have fun☆!"
Once she was out of earshot, Sona buried her face in her hands. "I am so sorry. She gets... overly enthusiastic sometimes."
"Sometimes?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Most of the time," she admitted. "Are you okay? She didn't threaten to freeze you, did she?"
"Only a little." I reached across the table and gently pulled her hands away from her face. "Hey. Look at me."
Violet eyes met mine, still filled with embarrassment.
"I meant what I said," I told her quietly. "About caring about you. About protecting you."
Her cheeks flushed pink. "And the... marriage part?"
"That too." I squeezed her hands gently. "Though maybe we could try dating first?"
A small smile tugged at her lips. "That would be more conventional."
"There's something else we should probably talk about," I said, my voice growing more serious. "About us. About what this means."
Sona tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
I took a deep breath. This was harder than facing down Serafall. "I need you to know... there might be other women in my life.."
Her expression didn't change, which somehow made it worse.
"I know how that sounds," I continued quickly. "But with everything that's happening, the supernatural world, the people I'm meeting..." I thought about Koneko, about our quiet lunches together, the way she curled up against me. "I don't want to lie to you or hide anything."
Sona was quiet for a long moment, studying my face. Then she said something that completely caught me off guard.
"So what?"
I blinked. "What?"
"So what if there are other women?" She said it like she was discussing the weather. "Leon, I'm a devil. Polygamy is common in our society. Multiple relationships, peerage bonds, political marriages—it's all perfectly normal."
"It is?"
"Of course." She leaned back in her chair, looking amused at my surprise. "Did you think devil nobles were monogamous? Most high-ranking devils have multiple partners. It's expected, really."
I stared at her. "And you're... okay with that?"
"As long as I'm first," she said simply. "As long as you don't hide things from me. And as long as whoever else you choose treats me with respect." Her eyes glinted with something that might have been possessiveness. "I won't share power, Leon. But I can share affection."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that." She reached for her water glass, taking a delicate sip. "Though I reserve the right to approve or disapprove of your choices."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Of course you do."
From across the restaurant, Serafall waved at us enthusiastically, her parfait forgotten as she watched our conversation with obvious interest.
"Your sister is staring," I pointed out.
"She's always staring when it comes to my love life." Sona sighed. "She's been planning my wedding since I was twelve."
"And now she actually has a groom to plan around."
"Don't encourage her," Sona said, but she was smiling. "Though... Leon?"
"Yeah?"
"About what you said earlier. About marriage." Her cheeks were pink again. "Maybe someday isn't as far away as you think."
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