Chương 112: Chapter 108- A Fractured Couple 2

"Something…" Gorou muttered the word. He held little hope for much, but just having even some means was enough.

"Alright, Touji. I'll take it. So please help me."

"You're my friend, Gorou. I will." … |DxD| - Chapter 108- A Fractured Couple 2 …... 7/June/1998- Thursday November 19, 1998, Kuoh Town, Japan. It was a sea of vibrant colours in the small town of Kuoh. Spring and summer had long since fallen to the chorus of autumn. Leaves of every shade hung on branches. The sidewalks were a carpet of red, brown, and yellow. Today's weather was cool and windy. The sun was just barely visible behind the clouds. Rays fell on a dark maroon building rising three-floors high.

It was built in a square shape with a flat roof. Flowers and trimmed shrubs surrounded it. For a residence built in the affluent district, the building itself was out of place with the other more opulent housing, resembling a villa more than the common craftsman designs. Miki closed the car door and gazed upon the building. It had been a month, and she still could not believe that this entire estate had been bought by Igor, much less how quickly it was built in that short of a time.

It defied all logic, and none of the surrounding neighbours had voiced a hint of doubt.

"But it's boring, Irina! We've been reading and studying for months now. I want to explode stuff!"

"Big bro said learning is important, Issei. If we want to be good, intelligent people, then we must have knowledge."

"Tch. Stinky Issei will always be stinky. And stupid."

"Akeno!" Three little kids in Kuoh Academy's uniform closed the car doors and bickered with each other. Miki felt sorry for her son, but he always brought it on himself.

"Alright, you three. Come along now." She ushered them forth up the stairs. Pillars as thick as three men held up a long balcony stretching the entire width of the villa. Vines and creeping grass circled around the pillars and balcony railings. The majestic wooden doors before them opened. They slowly revealed a pale woman with long black hair respectfully standing with her head lowered.

"Greetings, Mistress Hyoudou."

"Ms Lina." Miki soon bowed in greeting as well. It was still difficult to accept that this seemingly young women in her early twenties was in fact a devil over four hundred years old. She kept her face calm and brought the children inside. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Lina soon led them to a hall with rows and rows of bookshelves that stretched all the way to the ceiling.

Most of the shelves were empty, but in the few days since she had been here, Miki recognised there were additional books.

"Did…did this place get bigger?" She asked Lina with a hint of nervousness. There were still far too many things she didn't understand about the supernatural world.

"You are not wrong, Mistress Hyoudou. Sir Igor has an ongoing contract with my lady tasking her with gathering more books to fill the library. To prepare for the delivery, we have used spatial magic to extend the space." Irina stepped forward and inquisitively asked.

"So does this mean it looks small outside, but will be bigger inside?"

"Yes. Young Lady Irina is quite intelligent."

"Hihihi~. That's because I keep up with my studies." Irina beamed proudly. She shot a teasing glance at Issei, because she definitely knew he didn't understand anything.

"Hmph…" Issei crossed his arms and looked away.

"So what. I just need to smash everything." He grumbled beneath his breath, and a smooth, calm voice from above dismantled his confidence.

"Not every problem can be smashed apart, Issei." All eyes looked above. Igor hovered next to the topmost shelves. He held a thick book in hand, and his dashing snow-white coat befitted his position as the master of this villa.

"Apu!" Akeno screamed happily and leaped off the floor. She jumped over ten metres into the air with great speed and crashed right into Igor's chest. There was a dull thump that echoed like a hammer on concrete.

"Your perception is still abysmal, little chick."

"Hmph!" Akeno burrowed into his neck and didn't say more. He gradually descended to the ground and chuckled upon seeing Miki's wide-open mouth. It was the first time she saw Akeno leap this high or him flying.

"Big bro! Big bro! When am I going to fly like you?"

"It depends on your friend, Issei. I believe it's time we talk to him."

"Yes!" Issei cheered.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! YES!!!" He rushed to grab his mother's hand and clamoured excitedly.

"Mama! I'm finally gonna be a superhero ninja!"

"Yes…" Miki regained her composure and ruffled her son's hair. She held some apprehension, but she had learned to swallow it. Her son was destined to become great. She only, only, only hoped…that this greatness would not come at too great a cost.

"My boy is going to become a hero~." … |DxD| …... An hour had passed peacefully. Lina dutifully tutored Irina and Akeno while Igor had taken Issei away to only who knew where. Miki felt very small and out of her depth. Akeno was powerful enough to defy logic. Irina was the daughter of two exorcists and strong in her own right. Everyone around her was a dashing figure with supernatural abilities. And she was… just normal. She sat down and opened the book she had taken.

It told the history of the great war within the Abrahamic Pantheon. The scale and destruction were so vast that countless dimensions had fractured and become unstable, ultimately being absorbed by a place called the Dimensional Gap. And what stood out to her was the tale of the Heavenly Dragons Albion and Ddraig. They were two powerful beings, emperors who could tear apart god and man with their might. Hundreds of thousands had perished merely as an after-effect of their fight.

Their great and endless battle had taken them through many voids. The Earth, the Underworld, and realms between were not spared from their clash. No matter how many times she read these passages, her mind could not help but drift away. There were worlds and realms beyond Earth. Gods existed. Other races existed. Pantheons of legend were not folklore. The truth was so expansive it was hard not to feel a headache.

"How is the supernatural world treating you?"

"Eeep!" Miki jolted to the side and dropped her book on the carpet. When she saw the person sitting next to her, she placed a hand over her fast-beating heart and flopped on the table like a soggy sack.

"I hate you, Shuri…" Miki pouted with tears of indignation. She had always been weak to surprises. Shuri smiled gently and placed her hand on Miki's back.

"I love you too, Miki~."

"Don't touch me." Miki slapped away Shuri's hand and picked up her book. She paged to where she last read and deliberately ignored Shuri.

"Hmph."

"Fufufufu~." Shuri leaned in until they touched cheeks. She wrapped her arms around Miki and spoke.

"You still haven't answered my question~."

"And you're still here."

"Because you're my friend. And my friend is gloomy." Shuri squished their cheeks closer together, and as the seconds passed, Miki couldn't restrain a smile.

"Tch! Get away from me." She pushed Shuri away and tried to be angry, but the corners of her lips kept rising. Who said Shuri was a demure saint? She was an annoying fly. And she could always count on that fly to lift her mood. Because truly, the supernatural world wasn't treating her well.

END