The week flew by quickly, and Kiyoshi returned to Kuoh to train Akeno. This time, they focused on manipulating the form of lightning. The half—demon wanted his friend to diversify her combat arsenal, because her power is not limited to simply throwing lightning — you can come up with several ways to use Lightning and unpleasantly surprise your enemies.
— You seem absent-minded today, — the blond said, looking at Himejima. — Let's end it here. Your progress is already good. You clearly haven't been idle in my absence.
— Good, — the girl smiled at the praise. — Every day since the contracts were concluded, I tried to manipulate my power to the point of complete exhaustion.
— So that's why you looked so tired even before our training began? — Zankoku asked, handing his friend a bottle of water.
— Thank you, — the half-fallen woman gratefully took the bottle and took a couple of sips. — And no. You're completely wrong. The reason is different.
— Then what? — Noticing the playful glint in the brunette's eyes, the half—demon decided to have some fun. — Did you really get yourself a boyfriend and he won't let you rest?—
— No~, — the girl shook her head. Licking her lips, she looked at Kiyoshi predatorily, — but I wouldn't mind if you were that boyfriend.
— What a... tempting offer, — Kiyoshi approached Akeno and lifted her chin. Looking straight into her eyes, the young man with a soft smile began to slowly reduce the distance between their faces. — In that case, I, — he quietly whispered the words, making the girl's heart flutter. When there were less than ten centimeters between their lips, and Himejima closed her eyes in anticipation, the half—demon took two steps back, — I think I'll refuse.
— What?! — The brunette exclaimed as soon as she realized what she had heard.
— This is, of course, a tempting offer, — Zankoku watched his friend's stunned expression with undisguised pleasure, — but some other time.
— Kiyoshi, you're an idiot! — pouting her lips, she turned away from the young man. Although she was offended, somewhere inside Akeno felt excited and good.
"No! No! No! — the half-fallen one screamed mentally. — I'm a sadist! I can't enjoy torturing myself. It's wrong!"
— Well, forgive me, little Akeno, — Kiyoshi's voice and his warm hand on her head brought Akeno out of her dreams. — I didn't mean to offend you. But admit it, — he leaned over and whispered, — you liked it, — the silence in response and the blush confirmed Zankoku's words, but the guy did not continue and changed the subject. — So what is the reason for your tired state?
After a brief stare, Himejima gave in. — Eh. You may not know, but by Sirzechs Lucifer's order, all of Rias's peerage moved in with Hyoudou Issei.
— Yes, I was told. In one evening, an ordinary house turned into a real mansion and all of the Gremory demons are living there.
— That's right. Sirzechs wants his beloved little sister to live in luxury, — Akeno said mockingly.
— So what was the purpose of building this demon dormitory?
— If officially, — the half-fallen girl had a crooked smile, — then to strengthen the bonds and strengthen the Sekiryuutei with this. Something about "strengthening his will", "protecting his comrades" and other nonsense. Haha!
— And someone believed it? — the young man asked skeptically. — It's an obvious lie.
— Unfortunately, such individuals exist, — the girl said resignedly. — And these idiots turned out to be the people around me, with the exception of Xenovia, but this situation only plays into her hands.
— So, the demons want to get offspring from Ddraig's host, putting you under him?
— I think so, — Akeno confirmed the half—demon's guesses, — but the problem is different. If before there were skirmishes between Rias and the other girls because of Issei, now such things happen constantly, several times a day, — the brunette could not help but sigh heavily. — While they are fighting for Hyoudou's attention, he himself behaves like a doormat. All the time staring at the boobs of others and screaming about how he will become the king of the harem, but he can't even cope with three girls literally in his bed. Ha-ha-ha! I'm not even sure if he kissed anyone, let alone anything more, — the half-fallen girl said laughing, — What a "harem king". Only because of all this noise I can't get a proper rest.
— Yeah. You're unlucky, — as a sign of consolation, he stroked the girl's head. — After moving, I have a free house here. If you can come to an agreement with your "King", you can live in it, away from all the fuss and the loser Hyodo.
— Really?
— Of course, — the half-demon answered his worried friend. — The apartment is empty anyway, and I don't plan on coming back here. So you can move there, but don't let other demons into the house.
— Okay, — Akeno hugged her lover, pressing her figure closer to his. — Thank you, Kiyoshi. I adore you!
— Yes, yes, I care about you too, — Zankoku also hugged the girl. — When are you leaving?
— Tomorrow, — Himejima said sadly, not taking her eyes off the guy. — So today is our last lesson. I'll be in Hell until the end of the summer.
— Well, that's not necessarily true, — the half—fallen one looked at Kiyoshi with some hope. — The Biblical factions want to expand their peace alliance, so they can invite Shinto to visit them. If that happens, then I'll definitely visit you.
— Thank you. I hope so.
— Me too, — the blond pulled away from the girl, but his hand remained on Akeno's waist. — In the meantime, let me walk you home. I'll also show you where my house is along the way.
***
Serafall's POV
I've been in a great mood for a week now, and Sona-chan has been in Hell for exactly the same amount of time. As soon as summer vacation began, my sister returned to the family home with her retinue. She is actively preparing for the upcoming competition between the young heirs of the clans under my leadership. Not only do we spend most of the day together, but I also arrange night training for Sona. Hehehe! She still gets so cutely embarrassed, despite everything we've already done together.
How much trouble it cost me to free up time for this. And all because of the discontent after signing the peace treaty. The followers of the old Lords were the most problematic, but after the previous losses, the demons cannot afford to start a war. It was by insisting on this fact that I was able to calm the worried council after the news of Kiyoshi Zankoku's power. These idiots wanted to eliminate such a dangerous element as the bearer of the Anthem of Incineration at any cost.
A useless system, due to which we, the Demon Lords, do not have full power. The old fox Zekram Bael has too much power. This relic of the past Lords can easily oppose our decisions, but fortunately, he agreed with my reasoning. Therefore, the question of Zankoku's fate was postponed until better times.
Not only the demons were uneasy after the peace was concluded. There were also some dissatisfied ones among the fallen angels, but Azazel harshly suppressed all dissenters. In fact, after the death of the bearer of Albion, he became much gloomier. Ha! Just thinking about him.
— Hello, Azazel, — the fallen appeared in front of me as he came out of the turn.
— Hello, Serafall, — he smiled, but I can't fool him with that — it's immediately obvious that it's a fake smile. And the man himself looks tired. The cheerful gleam in his eyes is gone. Now he looks more like what I constantly saw in the mirror during the civil war. — As always, you delight me with your beautiful outfit.
— Thank you! I'm glad you like my magical girl outfit!
There was a meeting scheduled between the leaders today, so it's not surprising to meet him here.
— Let's hurry — the sooner we finish, the sooner I'll return to my beloved sister. — The others are probably already waiting for us.
The fallen only nodded in response. We spent the rest of the way in silence. Having reached the necessary office, we were the last ones missing. Taking my seat, I could see that Mikhail looked much worse than usual. His usual kind smile was replaced by a gloomy face.
— And why are we here today? I have to get back to So-tan as soon as possible.
Sirzechs decided to answer my question.
— Ahem. The topic of our meeting is Kiyoshi Zankoku and what we are going to do with him.
— What are you talking about? — I looked at the reactions of the others, but no one was surprised except me. — He is a subordinate of the Shinto gods, what can we do?
— True, — my colleague agreed, — but that does not cancel out his danger. His mechanism is mortally dangerous for all demons. Therefore, if we cannot make him our subordinate, then we must eliminate the threat.
— Do you really think Shinto will let us get away with this? — Not to mention Ophis. The Infinite Dragon God can destroy our race without breaking a sweat.
— That is, if they find out who killed him, — the fallen one intervened in the conversation. — I have information from a spy that the Khaos Brigade is going to attack during the games of the younger generation.
— What?! — I even jumped out of my chair from the information I received. — My Sona-chan is in danger?!
— Calm down, Serafall. Your sister is not in danger. I checked the information I received from Azazel and confirmed it, — the red-haired Lord smiled reassuringly. — Diadora Astaroth has joined the terrorists and is now targeting my sister's figure, Asia Argento.
— And how is that supposed to help us?
— Let's pit Diadora and Rias against each other in the first match and make it so that the winner will fight Sairaorg. Then the boy will have no choice but to show his true colors and attack.
— We'll deal with the rat this way, I agree, — looking at this cunning manipulator, I understand why Grayfia hates him and doesn't respond to his advances. Damn hypocrite, — but how does that apply to Zankok? He won't run to the underworld to save your little sister, will he?
— Not exactly, — his tone is already infuriating me. As if he's talking to a stupid child. — Rias told me that her "Queen" is in love with him. They even spend time together quite often. So we'll invite Shinto to watch the match under the pretext of negotiating an alliance. When the attack happens, we'll let Kiyoshi help in the rescue and get rid of him in the end. We'll tell Shinto that he died at the hands of the Khaos Brigade.
If you close your eyes to the number of unaccounted elements, then the plan is not bad. I would even agree with it, despite the risks, for the sake of protecting demons, but... But I know that Zankoku is connected to Ouroboros. The Infinite Dragon God is too dangerous a figure and it is unknown how she will react to this. But I can't tell anyone about this!
— I understand, but what do the others think about this?
— We must get rid of Zankoku! — the fallen man's voice was full of hatred. — I was able to find out that he was the one who killed about a hundred fallen angels over the course of five years. But I don't have any direct evidence — this bastard cleans up after himself too well.
Interesting information, but it is not a fact that Azazel is not lying. He could have fabricated a case in order to frame a person he hates.
— I agree with the plan, — Mikhail spoke for the first time during the meeting. — A demon possessing holy powers is a system error. Such an anomaly should not exist in this world.
— Then, I will ask you, Serafall, as our diplomat, to contact Shinto and invite them.
— Excellent! Leave it to Levia-chan!
After leaving the meeting, I immediately decided to begin my duties. It is good that I was appointed for this. This way, I will be able to contact Kiyoshi without raising suspicions. Fortunately, after the scandal with the Naberia house, I still have a connection with the leader of the youkai.
It was easy to arrange a meeting, and an hour later I was sitting opposite Yasaka.
— I am glad that you accepted the invitation. I hope we can agree on peace between our factions.
— Of course. I hope so too, — the kitsune answered with a smile. — Will you stay in Kyoto or will you leave us right away?
— I still have one more thing to do here. So I will stay for a while. Could you tell me where I can find your subordinate Kiyoshi now?
My interlocutor almost imperceptibly tensed up. A sharp gleam appeared in Yasaka's eyes, and her smile became a little wider, truly fox-like.
— And why do you need my dear subordinate? — the atmosphere in the room changed.
— It's a personal matter, — I did not react to the aggressive notes in the fox's voice, — but if he decides to tell you, then I have nothing against it.
— Okay, — the kitsune relaxed. — Kioshi should be home now. Let me contact him first and clarify.
The conversation with the half-demon didn't take even two minutes.
— He's waiting for you at his house, Serafall-san. My servant will show you the way, — after she clapped her hands, the tengu entered the room. — Taru, take our guest to Zankoku's house.
— Yes, Yasaka-sama.
Accompanied by a silent guard, I reached the two—story mansion. The door was opened for me by the black-haired nekomata I had seen on Parents' Day at Kuoh Academy.
— Welcome, Serafall-san, — she let me into the house. — Kiyoshi is waiting for you in his office.
— Hello and thank you.
I moved with her to the second floor, but we were suddenly stopped in the hallway.
— Levia-chan! — a familiar little girl rushed towards us with a loud cry.
— Kumiko, don't shout! — Kuroka's stern tone stopped the girl's running. — No need to pester our guest. She's busy right now.
— Don't worry so much. I'm already used to this kind of thing, — I knelt down and called the little girl to me. This girl helped me get rid of my nervousness with her appearance. — Hello, Kumiko. It's been a while, hasn't it?
— Yeah! — she smiled widely. Two tails behind her back were actively moving. — I watch your show every day.
— Aha-ha! Well done! — I can't help but pet this miracle. — Right now I have things to do with your dad, and then we can chat a little.
— Really? — the little girl asked excitedly.
— If your parents don't mind.
— Mom? — Kumiko asked in a voice full of hope.
— We'll see, but for now go to your room.
— Okay! — She waved her hand and ran away.
— Sorry for my restlessness, — the nekoshou said with a gentle smile.
— It's okay. I don't mind.
And so we reached our destination. Nekomata knocked and opened the door for me. Taking a quiet sigh, I stepped into the room. For some reason, my heart sped up, although there was no reason for it.
An ordinary office, similar to mine. A white-haired young man sat at the table, filling out paperwork. He silently gestured to the chair opposite him. Kiyoshi quickly finished with the paperwork and put his pen aside.
— Good afternoon, Serafall-san, and I apologize for the wait. Your visit was a surprise to me.
— Good day, Kiyoshi-san. I understand, but the matter is urgent.
— Even so, — the half-demon straightened up in his chair, carefully studying his interlocutor with his gaze. — Then tell me about it.
I took a deep breath, calming down. Further conversation is too important and the fate of many lives depends on its outcome.
— I have vital information for you. In exchange for it, I want to make a contract with you.
— I'm curious. Is it really that serious?
— Yes. If anyone finds out that I told you about this, then I will become a traitor. Deprivation of the title is the least that can happen to me.
Zankoku's eyes narrowed dangerously. With a wave of his hand, magic circles appeared on the walls of the room, preventing eavesdropping. The magic that appeared immediately alerted me and was ready to attack, but the blond did not react to my actions.
— Now we can begin the discussion. What is your price for this information?
— The life and inviolability of my family. Also, my betrayal must not be known, otherwise not only I but also my loved ones may suffer.
— If the information is as important as you say, then I guarantee it.
A magic contract with the stated conditions appeared in his hand. After reading it several times and checking for loopholes, I signed it.
— The Biblical factions are going to get rid of you...
After I told them about the plans of the other leaders, the room fell silent, which was broken by the mad laughter of the half—demon.
— Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha~!!! — the blond laughed uncontrollably for several minutes. Until he slowly calmed down. — Ah! Funny, — he wiped away the tears that had appeared. — No, did you hear that, Fis? They are going to kill me. Ha-ha!
At first I didn't understand who he was talking to, but suddenly a voice came from behind me, the owner of which often appears in my nightmares.
— Yeah. I heard, — Ophis appeared out of nowhere, walked around the Demon Lord and sat on the edge of the table. — I just had a question for that bat, — Ouroboros pressed on me with her aura, glaring at me, making me shrink back into my chair. — Why did you betray the others and tell me all this?
— Because of you, Ophis-sama, — I couldn't lie in front of this being. Her gaze seemed to see right through me. — I'm afraid that you'll destroy all the demons in Hell in anger. That's why I told you about the danger. Family is more important to me than the lives of thousands of others.
— Well said! — With these words, Ophis released her pressure. — You don't have to worry. You did the right thing and your family will be safe, but only if they don't get into trouble themselves.
— I can convince them to stay away from you.
— Then we'll discuss everything in more detail, — Kiyoshi said with a grin.