That morning, the sound of early jazz played over the diner's speakers as the scent of coffee, eggs, and toasted bread filled the air.
At a corner booth near the window, a portion of Team C×C sat scattered around a table littered with breakfast plates and half-empty coffee mugs.
Arthur sat beside Lavinia, cradling a hot cup of coffee between his hands, but his eyes were fixed on one very specific sight: Siegfried.
The albino swordsman sat in complete silence, nursing a black coffee and slowly pushing scrambled eggs around his plate with his fork.
But what truly caught Arthur's attention was the very obvious red handprint on the side of Siegfried's face.
Sitting next to him, Jeanne was furiously stabbing at a pancake with the kind of cold, silent fury.
She looks like she's one twitch away from flipping the entire table as her sharp eyes refuse to acknowledge Siegfried's existence.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, taking in the sheer tension suffocating the table.
Lavinia, beside him, simply sipped her coffee with a soft hum, keeping her amusement quietly hidden behind her cup.
Finally, Arthur broke the silence.
"So... is everyone doing good or...?"
Siegfried looked like he was about to answer; he even opened his mouth, when Jeanne abruptly snapped.
"We're fine. Thank you for asking."
Arthur blinked at the sudden bark of sarcasm and leaned back in his seat.
"Okay…"
He shifted slightly closer to Cao Cao, who was seated at the next booth near them, casually munching on waffles and looking like the only one genuinely enjoying himself.
Arthur leaned toward him and whispered.
"What happened exactly?"
Cao Cao didn't even look up as he replied between bites.
"Last night, after everyone got totally hammered and we somehow managed to get back to the rooms… This morning, Jeanne was screaming inside Siegfried's room."
Arthur blinked slowly, taking a second to process that before his eyes widened just a bit.
"Oh…"
"Yeah, you can imagine what happened next. Screaming, panic, and a slap sound that shook the walls."
Cao Cao said with a little grin.
Arthur snuck another glance at Jeanne, who was now sipping her water in cold silence, her eyes still focused on her plate.
She looked like she was holding herself back from activating Blade Blacksmith across the diner.
Arthur gave a short, sympathetic sigh as he turned back to his coffee.
Jeanne stood abruptly, her now-empty plate clinking against the table.
Without a word or a glance at anyone, she picked it up, walked to the counter, handed it over to the waitress with a polite thank-you, and then marched out of the diner.
Everyone watched her leave in silence.
Siegfried just stabbed his breakfast and mumbled.
"I don't even know what I did to piss her off..."
Lavinia, hiding her smile now, sipped her coffee again and finally spoke.
"Where are the others?"
Cao Cao glanced at the wall clock.
"Heracles and Dulio are probably still asleep in their beds. Last I checked, Georg was in the bathroom puking his guts out thanks to the cocktails Dulio made."
Arthur winced.
"Oof."
"Connla's with Georg, being his emotional support. Or maybe holding his glasses for him. Either way, the dude's more reliable than all of us."
Cao Cao added.
Arthur ran a hand through his hair and took another drink from his mug.
"After everyone's had breakfast, let the others know we're heading to the newly rebuilt town later. I want to speak with some of the townsfolk and representatives from the Carmilla Faction."
He said eventually, placing his cup down.
Cao Cao gave a small nod.
"Got it. Should I tell them to sober up first?"
"That would be nice."
Arthur muttered, rubbing his temples.
The atmosphere slowly began to calm.
With Jeanne gone and the tension diffusing, the rest of the group went back to eating.
Soon enough, Dulio arrived at the diner and approached their booth, yawning loudly.
*Yawn!*
"Morning, losers... What did I miss?"
Cao Cao gestured to Dulio to the empty seat and replied.
"Meh, nothing important. Wanna order some waffles, Dulio?"
"Nah, coffee and toast are fine."
Arthur looked back at Siegfried, who had finally resumed eating, though he looked like a kid who had just been scolded for knocking over a vase.
Arthur took a long sip from his coffee, then said.
"You sure you're okay, man?"
Siegfried gave a long sigh.
"I'm fine. Just like Jeanne said."
His voice sounded tired, not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, maybe even spiritually.
Lavinia gave him a look of sympathy.
"You didn't do anything inappropriate, did you?"
"No. I swear to God I didn't do anything. The moment I woke up, Jeanne just straight up assaulted me."
Siegfried said instantly.
"That's what made it worse. She must've thought something happened to the two of you last night, but no one remembers, so it's all one giant black hole of regret and embarrassment."
Arthur added dryly.
Siegfried groaned as he slumped against the booth.
"Kill me…"
Lavinia finally let out a small giggle.
Arthur couldn't help but chuckle as well, shaking his head as he reached for a piece of toast.
"Team bonding at its finest."
Cao Cao said, smirking.
They all laughed, the last bits of tension fading into the diner's morning crowd.
"Okay, seriously, did I miss something embarrassing?"
Dulio asked, completely clueless about what had happened.
DxD
Everyone in C×C stood in awe at what lay before them, each of them taking a moment to take in the sight fully.
Arthur, in particular, found himself staring in disbelief before glancing toward Dulio, his brows raised.
"How in the world did you manage all of this?"
Arthur asked, his voice holding both admiration and a hint of curiosity.
Dulio simply smirked, clearly enjoying the reaction, and folded his arms.
"Let's just say… a lot of powerful people owe me big time from my early years as an exorcist."
He replied casually, though there was a mischievous glint in his eye that suggested there was more to the story.
What stood before them was nothing short of astonishing.
The small town that had once been nothing but rubble and bloodstains was now reborn into a massive, vibrant town.
Traditional European-style stone buildings lined the streets, their fresh paint and polished windows reflecting the light, yet they blended seamlessly with modern infrastructure, streetlights powered by solar energy, communication towers discreetly built into clock towers, and even a small tram line that curved along the main road.
But it wasn't just the architecture that caught their attention.
The citizens, mostly humans and dhampirs and a few other supernatural species, moved about with hope restored.
Here and there, Arthur noticed a few stray Fallen Angels dressed in plain clothes chatting with merchants, some wandering Youkai blending into the crowd as if they belonged there all along, children ran laughing through the open market, darting between the stalls with carefree joy, and patrolling Exorcists mingled with the townsfolk, sharing greetings and offering help where needed.
Dulio spread his arms proudly, his tone light yet meaningful.
"Everyone… Welcome to Avalon. A small slice of Heaven on Earth."
Inside Arthur's mind, Ddraig's deep voice rumbled with a rare note of approval.
(Quite the fitting name for such a peaceful place.)
Arthur smiled faintly at the thought.
(Yeah… It's hard to imagine this place was in ruins not too long ago.)
The group stepped into the streets, their footsteps echoing faintly on the clean asphalt path.
As they walked, their eyes naturally wandered to every corner, bright flowerpots on windowsills, the smell of fresh bread drifting from a nearby bakery, and townsfolk working together to unload crates from carts.
More than once, Arthur caught a few people looking their way.
The moment their gazes met, the citizens would smile and wave, bow respectfully, or offer a polite greeting.
Heracles was scratching his head as he muttered.
"What's happening? Why are they doing that?"
Dulio gave a knowing smile.
"Because they recognize you all. They know what we did for them. This..."
He gestured toward the town and its people.
"... is their way of showing respect and gratitude."
Connla shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Strange feeling… being looked at like that."
Siegfried glanced sideways at him with his usual calm demeanor.
"You'll get used to it."
He said casually, though there was the faintest curl of a smile on his lips.
As they strolled through the bustling streets, still taking in the sights of Avalon, Dulio suddenly slowed his pace and glanced over his shoulder at them.
"By the way, before we go meet the vampire ladies, there's someone who wants to meet you, Arthur."
Arthur raised a brow, curiosity flickering in his expression.
"Seriously? Whom?"
"You'll see."
Dulio replied and gestured for them to follow.
They passed through the heart of the town, weaving past merchants and townsfolk, until the crowd began to thin.
Before long, they found themselves standing before a large, beautifully restored chapel.
Arthur's gaze shifted toward the front steps, where several children were gathered.
They seemed to be in the middle of chatting with someone just out of view when one of them turned her head and caught sight of Arthur and the others.
Her eyes lit up instantly, and a wide smile broke across her face.
"Look! Big brother is here!"
She called out, her voice filled with pure excitement.
In an instant, the group of children ran down the steps toward Arthur, their small shoes tapping rapidly against the stone.
Arthur couldn't help but smile warmly, bending down to greet them.
"Hey there, kids. Who here's brave enough to fight me?"
Some of the kids tackled him in their enthusiasm, clinging to his arms and tugging at his sleeves.
At the same time, a few of the braver ones approached the others.
One shy little girl tugged at Lavinia's skirt, offering her a small paper flower.
"Aww. Thank you."
Lavinia smiled, patting the girl's head.
A pair of twins giggled as they grabbed onto Heracles' large hands, clearly impressed by his size.
"Hahahaha! Hold on tight, kiddos!"
He started spinning, making the twins scream in joy.
Another waved cheerfully at Cao Cao, who responded with a polite nod and a small smile.
Even those like Connla and Georg, who were more reserved by nature, found themselves smiling slightly as they were pulled into the innocent energy of the moment.
Arthur gently patted the head of the little girl who had called to him.
"How are you, Bella? Like the new place?"
He asked, his tone soft.
"We're doing great, big brother! And we love it!"
Bella replied enthusiastically.
Then she held up her small hands to reveal a colorful handful of wrapped sweets.
"And look! Grandpa gave us candy!"
Arthur chuckled lightly, the warmth in his voice clear.
"That's nice. Did you all thank this grandpa of yours?"
Before Bella could answer, a deep, masculine voice chuckled from nearby.
"Hahaha. Worry not, Red One. They already did."
Arthur straightened slightly and turned toward the source of the voice.
The moment his eyes landed on the figure approaching, his expression froze in mild shock.
(Holy fucking shit.)
*Can You Feel My Heart*
Standing before him was an absolute unit of an old man.
Towering at nearly two meters tall, his frame was massive, his muscles bulging beneath his priestly clothes in a way that seemed almost impossible for someone of his advanced age.
His hair was pure white, and his face was lined with deep wrinkles and scars that spoke of decades of hard battles and earned victories.
Nearby, Siegfried, Jeanne, and Connla, who had been engaging with some of the children, all stopped what they were doing.
Their surprise was plain to see, though Jeanne's eyes also held a spark of recognition.
Dulio's grin widened.
"Old man Strada! How's the new place treating you?"
The giant of an elder let out a booming laugh, the kind that seemed to fill the entire chapel courtyard with life.
"The house was wonderful, Young Dulio! I especially like the small garden!"
He said warmly, looking at each member of the group with a keen, assessing eye.
"Welcome, children! The name's Vasco Strada! Pleasure to meet you all!"
DxD
Hello readers!
Sorry for the lack of uploads.
Busy with personal stuff again, and I'm starting to think that college is another word for prison, but your parents paid good money for you to suffer mentally.
Also, check the end of Chapter 61 to vote on which character should be the new cover.
I'll be changing it soon, also I'll be making slight edits to previous chapters.
Thank you, everyone, and see you later!