We returned to Kuoh right after the battle. Not because we wanted to.
There wasn't much left to do after the messy retreat from Győr. Szilárd pulled me aside one last time, told me to wait for instructions on Sopron, and that the regrouping had to stay quiet now that Oblivion controlled Hungary.
I was slouched on one of the ORC couches, looking like I lost a fight with a Chinese bullet train. Suzuka sat on one side, her perfect hair a tangled mess from hours of Spirit Arts.
She looked like Amy the Hedgehog from this angle.
Shit, I can't unsee it now.
On the other side, Haruka leaned against my shoulder, still breathing hard. Her hand was gripping Suzuka's, both of them resting in my lap like they didn't need a reason.
Rias sat behind her desk, fingers interlocked. Sona stood beside her with the face of someone who'd been drafting a lecture the entire way back.
The rest of the ORC was scattered around the room. Koneko sat quietly between Xenovia and Kiba. Asia stuck close to Hyoudou, glancing around like she was making sure everyone was still alive. Azazel leaned against the wall with that annoying grin, clearly entertained.
Nobody spoke.
I let out a dry cough.
Sona's gaze snapped to me.
"Kokonoe-kun. Requesting assistance during a crisis is one matter. Leveraging that assistance for future political support is another entirely."
There it is.
I was wondering how long it would take.
"I never asked any of you to help me at first," I said flatly. "You chose to anyway. I don't like asking for help. It always comes with strings. But people were dying, President. So if I have to drag my allies into saving lives, I'll do it every single time."
I sighed, already tired of how the conversation was going.
"I've fought beside all of you before—even after I stopped being Rias' Rook. You should know how I do things by now."
Sona adjusted her glasses, expression still annoyingly composed.
"I have never questioned your willingness to place yourself in danger for others."
She carried on, unbothered.
"What concerns me is that you are beginning to make strategic decisions that affect more people than yourself. You negotiated the future alignment of an entire faction in the middle of a battlefield. Whether your reasoning was justified is almost beside the point."
She paused for a second, folding her hands in her lap before narrowing her eyes slightly at me.
"Leaders are judged not only by the lives they save today, but also by the precedents they establish for tomorrow."
Leader, huh?
Have I actually climbed that far... or is she just fucking with me?
Me, a leader…
I almost laughed.
It's funny, but when I picture myself leading anything, it's not a vampire clan. Or devils.
It's Romania.
Not as some dictator. Nor as the poster boy for perfect democracy, either.
Just... with enough authority that nobody could bleed the country dry ever again.
Enough that the people running the show couldn't sell us out whenever it suited them.
…
Hah.
What a stupid thought.
And yet…
If there's a way, fuck it.
I'll take Romania… sooner or later.
Let the Tepes and Carmilla factions tear each other apart.
Anyway.
"A leader?" I asked drily.
Sona watched me through her glasses, her expression as composed as ever.
"You already lead two exceptionally capable young women into battle," she replied evenly. "Whether you acknowledge it or not, that makes you responsible for more than yourself."
Her voice stayed calm.
"My concern is not who you are today. It is whether, as your influence grows, you will remain the same person."
I let out a quiet sigh.
"I'm Romanian. Realistically, that's one thing I can't promise. And yet… in our own fucked-up way, we look after each other. And the people we end up dragging into our mess."
I patted the girls' hands where they rested in my lap.
"Suzuka and Haruka are here because they choose to be. If they ever wanted to go their own way, they could. But after everything we've been through..."
I paused.
"...we'll always be connected."
Haruka immediately jabbed me in the ribs.
"They could go their separate ways? Oh, shut up. You don't just survive a war together and then go 'see ya around.' That's not how this works, genius."
Suzuka let out a small, warm laugh.
"I... agree with Haruka-chan," she said softly, intertwining her fingers with Haruka's for a moment before looking at me.
"I could leave if I truly wished to. But I don't. My life has become much happier with the two of you in it. So… if you'll keep having me, I'd like to stay."
If I really do end up taking Romania…
I'd rather they get to live normal lives.
Not cut them off or anything stupid. Just... make it one hell of a long-distance relationship.
Besides, if that day ever comes, it'll probably be years from now.
We've got time.
…
Then again…
Maybe "normal" isn't what either of them wants.
Maybe they'd insist on following me wherever I end up.
…
No.
Knowing these two…
Yeah.
I already know the answer.
"Yeah, yeah... message received," I said, grinning like an idiot.
Sona waited just long enough for the moment to settle before speaking again.
"I see," she said evenly, the faintest hint of approval crossing her features. "It would appear your companions are taking very good care of you."
I figured she just needed to hear it.
The girls were taking good care of me.
The kind of thing women seemed to understand about each other without ever saying it out loud.
...Whatever.
Guess I passed the assessment.
Hyoudou leaned forward, scratching the back of his head.
"Still, though… that was seriously insane. That red rain thing kept eating away at my Scale Mail the whole time. Even Ddraig wouldn't shut up about it."
The smile slipped off my face.
"…Yeah. They used that same fucking spell in Brașov. Right after they killed my grandma."
Romanian slipped out before I could stop it.
"Să-mi bag pula-n ei de bulangii…"
Hyoudou's grin vanished.
"Ah… sorry, bro."
Suzuka's fingers found mine.
"…That spell hit me in Brașov too," she said quietly. "I couldn't protect anyone."
Her fingers instinctively found mine, giving my hand the gentlest squeeze.
The room grew heavy again.
Haruka let out a long, exaggerated sigh.
"...Okay, this is getting way too depressing."
She lightly bumped Suzuka's shoulder before flashing Hyoudou a weary grin.
"Don't mind us, Hyoudou-kun. Welcome to real war."
She shrugged.
"Sorry. My teammates are having a bit of a PTSD episode."
I blinked.
…
That sounded suspiciously like something I'd say.
Was she copying me on purpose?
Hyoudou blinked, too.
"...Uh..."
He looked between the three of us, clearly having no idea what the right thing to say was.
"...That... sounds really rough. I mean... I don't really get it. But... if you guys ever need help again..."
He gave an embarrassed laugh.
"...You know... we've got your backs. Right, Buchou?"
Rias looked at me, her expression much more gentle than Sona's, though still laced with concern.
"I understand what Sona is trying to say. And I share some of those concerns. But you'll always be part of the Gremory family, Takashi. When you need our help, we'll come. However… I'm also responsible for everyone here."
She paused for a moment.
"I can't ask my peerage to throw themselves into every battle, especially when the risks are beyond anything we've faced before. I'll support you whenever I can. But I have to protect my family too."
"…Yeah. That's fair."
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Truth is, I've spent a lot of time helping you guys out," I replied with a small shrug. "I just wanted to know if you'd have my back, too."
Hyoudou frowned.
"Couldn't you've asked without being an asshole about it?"
I shrugged.
"Old habits die hard."
Haruka snorted.
"Oh my God, that's such a Kokonoe-kun answer."
She straightened up, cleared her throat dramatically, and put on the flattest expression she could manage.
"'Old habits die hard.'
She held the pose for all of two seconds before breaking into laughter.
"...Pfft—okay, nope. I can't do your whole emotionally-constipated thing with a straight face."
I blinked.
Then, before I knew it, I cupped the back of her head and kissed the top of it.
"Te iubesc, tu, nebuno."
Haruka blinked.
"…What did he say?"
Hyoudou translated with an awkward grin. "He said 'I love you, you crazy bitch.'"
Haruka's cheeks went pink.
"…That's weirdly sweet?"
"It's Romanian."
"...You're such an idiot."
Then, she slipped her arms around my back and planted her head on my shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The moment didn't last.
A crimson communication circle popped up above Rias's desk, humming as it stabilized.
Sirzechs Lucifer's face appeared in it.
He was sitting on his throne looking like owning the entire Underworld tired him out more than he could say.
"Rias. Congratulations again on your match against Sona. Both of you showed excellent growth."
Priorities, amirite? They've been playing Rating Games while I was trying to keep Szekely Land from turning into the next Kosovo.
Rias straightened up slightly, a small but genuine smile forming.
"Thank you, Onii-sama."
Sirzechs nodded before his expression became a touch more serious.
"That is actually why I'm contacting you."
He folded his hands together.
"In a few days, the younger generation of devil nobles will be gathering in the Underworld. Originally, it was intended as an opportunity for peerages to meet, exchange experiences, and celebrate the achievements of those who have recently distinguished themselves."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"However... recent events in Hungary have forced us to expand the agenda. We will also be discussing the emergence of the organization known as Oblivion and the increasingly unstable political situation surrounding Gábor LaVey."
His gaze shifted from Rias to the rest of the Occult Research Club.
"I would like you and your entire peerage to attend."
Sirzechs's expression shifted as his gaze moved across the room, landing on me.
"And if Kokonoe Takashi is willing, I would like him to join the gathering as my personal guest."
I turned to face him.
"Your firsthand experience with Oblivion, Takashi-kun, along with your connections to the Romanian vampire factions and the Pannonia Order, make your perspective one we can no longer afford to ignore."
Silence settled over the clubroom.
…
Well.
That certainly sounded less optional than "an invitation."
Honestly…
I was already groaning internally.
Do I really gotta sit through another fancy devil gathering while Hungary's one bad day away from a civil war?
Give me a break.
...
Actually... no.
I'll use this to squeeze military support out of them.
Fuck you.
Oblivion is your problem too.
They want your throne, they've already turned an European country into their foothold, and everyone's still pretending this is someone else's headache.
Wake the fuck up, Lucifer.
Your Chloe is Grayfia — she could prolly steal your throne tomorrow and run the Underworld like Catherine the Great if she wanted to.
…
"Yeah, sure," I said with a shrug. "As long as Haruka and Suzuka are coming with me."
Sirzechs gave a small, elegant smile, his crimson eyes showing a trace of amusement.
"Of course. Yamamoto Haruka-chan and Midorikawa Suzuka-chan are more than welcome to attend alongside you. I'll make the necessary arrangements."
He paused for a brief moment, tone still calm and composed.
"I look forward to seeing you there, Takashi-kun."
He paused for a brief moment, then turned his gaze back to Rias.
"Rias, I'll send the formal invitation shortly. Try to get some rest before then — you've all had a long day."
With that, the crimson communication circle faded out.
"So this is it," I said with a chuckle I could barely suppress.
I turned to Rias.
"It's funny I still get dragged into the Underworld with you. Feels like I never left."
Rias let out a soft laugh, leaning back in her chair with a slightly tired but amused expression.
"You say that like it's my fault," she replied, raising an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who kept jumping headfirst into trouble even after you stopped being my Rook. Don't blame me for Onii-sama noticing how useful you've become."
She gave me a small, genuine smile.
"But… I'm glad you're coming. It'll be good to have you there."
Hyoudou scratched the back of his head, looking a bit excited.
"Whoa, the whole peerage is going? That's actually kinda cool."
Asia looked a little anxious. "A gathering with so many high-class devils… I hope everyone will be safe."
Koneko gave a small nod. "…Fine."
Xenovia crossed her arms. "If there's a chance to meet strong opponents, I'm in."
Akeno covered her mouth with a soft giggle. "Ara ara~ A gathering of the younger generation… how lively it should be."
Sona adjusted her glasses. "A logical decision. Multiple perspectives on the Hungarian situation will be useful."
Azazel chuckled from the wall. "Try not to start any unnecessary trouble while you're there, kids."
Eventually the meeting ended. Haruka and Suzuka took off for Nagano. Koneko and I flew home.
My eyes kept drifting to Koneko's small black devil wings.
I reached behind my own back out of habit.
Those things always felt useless. No matter how much I trained, I could never fly properly with them.
Then I thought about Elmenhilde.
The nights I spent in Sibiu, forcing my vampire body to work. The crashes, the bruises, the anger.
Funny thing is…
Now I can fly just fine with these.
Just as I thought that, Koneko caught me looking.
"…What are you looking at, Senpai?"
"Just thinking how useless my devil wings always were. With the vampire ones, I can actually fly."
She was quiet for a few seconds.
"…I remember. You always struggled during flight training. But you're flying naturally now. I think they suit you better."
I let out a faint laugh. "Yeah. Guess I finally found the pair that actually belonged to me."
Here's a sharper, tighter pass:
---
"…I remember," she said. "You always struggled during flight training."
A short pause.
"But you're flying naturally now. I think they suit you better."
I flexed the vampire wings once.
"Yeah. Guess I finally got the pair that actually works. Funny thing is, after riding Nelu for so long, doing it myself still feels off."
"…You'll get used to it."
"Yeah."
We didn't talk much after that.
By the time the house came into view it was past 1 AM. The porch light was still on, so that means Mom waited up.
The second we stepped inside she looked up from the couch.
"You're late. You didn't even send a message."
No yelling. Just that flat, tired voice she used when she's been worrying for hours.
"You both look exhausted. Takashi… is everything okay?"
"Club activities."
Technically true. Just not the whole truth.
Mom sighed.
"What kind of club activities run until one in the morning?"
"We're a special kind of club."
Even I didn't buy that one.
I stifled a yawn. "Sorry, Mom. Long day. Can we just sleep?"
"…Alright. Good night, you two."
We made our escape.
I glanced back for a second.
I've given her more reasons to worry than I can count since this devil mess started. Especially the time I vanished to Romania without a word.
At some point I accepted Kokonoe Chisato as my mom. She reminded me of Anyu — kind, patient, just without a man dragging her down the way my father did.
For a while I was fine with that.
That was back when I still thought there was no way home.
If fate wanted to make me less Romanian, it should've dropped me in Disboard or Lugunica.
Not here.
Because every time the two lives smash into each other I feel less like a Japanese teenager and more like a Romanian expat stuck in a high-school uniform.
How the fuck do you even explain that?
"Hey Mom, funny story — your real son got hijacked at birth by an interdimensional Romanian parasite."
Yeah.
Pass.
I bid Koneko good night. She looked distracted, muttered a quiet "Good night, Senpai," and walked off. Whatever training they'd put her through this summer wasn't been gentle. Still… she was my problem now.
I opened the door. Then, I collapsed on the bed and was out almost immediately.
---
The day of the gathering came.
The hall was bright in that sterile way rich people think looks expensive. The chandelier was the worst part — some oversized metal cage wrapped around a glowing cylinder, like they'd tried to make luxury out of scrap. Cold blue-white light spilled from it like the cheap bulbs people used during the communist era.
Haruka leaned toward me.
"Okay… I'm not saying this place is ugly. I'm saying whoever designed it should be arrested."
"It looks like a giant birdcage."
"Exactly. And it probably costs more than my house."
"That makes it worse."
Suzuka covered a small smile. "I think it is quite beautiful."
"That's French for 'I don't like it, but I'm being polite,' isn't it?"
"Perhaps."
I snorted.
At least someone was having fun.
Cause people here didn't seem all that excited.
Rias was doing the diplomatic thing, greeting people with perfect posture. Sona stood a little apart, already analyzing the room. Hyoudou looked like a kid in a theme park. Gasper was already crying in the back.
Some things never change.
Koneko stayed near the edge of the group, shoulders tight, eyes moving like she was waiting for something to go wrong.
I didn't know what it was yet. I just knew I didn't like it.
Sirzechs called me here as his "personal guest." Fancy words for I want your opinion on Hungary and I want you where I can see you.
Fine. I'll give him my opinion. But first I had to survive a room full of nobles who thought power was a party.
Just as I was starting to wonder how long I could stand this place, Rias eventually spotted us across the hall and waved us over.
"Takashi! Haruka, Suzuka! Come join us."
We crossed the room and joined them. Kiba offered us his usual polite smile. Asia looked quietly impressed by the sheer number of high-class devils. Xenovia was already enjoying herself.
Prince Charming glanced around the hall.
"I've never seen so many Satan-Class devils in one place."
"It is pretty incredible," Xenovia agreed.
Rias turned a pointed look on Hyoudou.
"Just be careful not to offend anyone tonight. Especially you, Ise."
He flinched.
"Why am I getting singled out?!"
Probably because you deserve it.
"If anyone's gonna cause trouble," he shot back, pointing at me, "it's this guy!"
Nice deflection.
Rias gave him a flat look. "Takashi is Onii-sama's personal guest. And unlike you, he actually knows how to behave in a formal gathering."
"Hey! I can behave!"
I raised an eyebrow. "Can you?"
"Whose side are you on?!"
"Not yours, apparently."
Rias sighed, though the corner of her mouth twitched. "See? This is exactly what I'm talking about."
We shared a short laugh over it. Akeno sat a little further back, posture graceful but shoulders too stiff. She wasn't okay, no matter how well she hid it.
Hyoudou eventually noticed and wandered over looking like he wanted to make chitchat. Seriously, how clueless can this guy be?
"Sup, Akeno?"
She flinched, then slipped straight back into the smile.
"Hi, Issei. You having a good time?"
They started talking about training.
Uninteresting.
Sona eventually drifted over with Tsubaki and Saji. After the usual polite exchange with Rias, she turned to me.
"Kokonoe-kun. I trust you have given some thought to the diplomatic approach I suggested."
"I'm sure as hell gonna be clear and firm about my requests."
"Understandable. But you have to measure your tone. Diplomacy becomes considerably more difficult when one approaches the other side with a list of grievances."
"I'll keep that in mind."
The conversation moved on without me. For a few minutes the gathering felt almost normal.
I wasn't really listening anymore.
Koneko went quiet too.
She stood a little apart, ears angled back, golden eyes fixed on something moving between the guests. I followed her gaze and caught it — a small black cat slipping through the crowd like it belonged there. Too calm. Too deliberate.
Koneko's fingers curled at her side.
She didn't say anything to anyone. She just turned and started walking after it, weaving through the edge of the hall toward one of the side exits.
I watched her go for a second longer than I should have.
…Yeah. That wasn't nothing.
Haruka noticed me staring.
"What?"
"Koneko. She's following something."
I set my glass down and followed after Koneko, not waiting for Haruka's reply.
She moved quickly. The corridor led out toward the terrace and the darker stretch of trees beyond the venue lights. By the time I stepped into the cooler air, she already stopped a few meters ahead.
A woman was waiting between the trees.
She had long black hair, pointy cat ears and golden eyes. And wore a lazy smile that barely reached them. Upon closer inspection, she looked exactly like I would've imagined an older Koneko.
Which means...
"It's been a while, hasn't it… Shirone?"
Koneko's whole body locked up.
"…Kuroka-neesama."
Damn.
So that was her sister.