(Haruto's POV)
"Damn it…Damn it all…"
The moment Yuuki fell…I went running as fast as I could, doing my best to get to the infirmary where all of the defeated servants were taken. I didn't care about the game anymore. I didn't care about the outcome. I didn't care who won or lost. All I cared about was getting to my friends. When the doctors tried stopping me, I just shoved them aside and burst into the room.
When I saw the shape the members of the Gremory group were in… I almost fell apart completely.
Koneko was in less severe shape than the others, having been receiving more time with medical treatment than the others. She had bandages on her body, but she didn't seem to have anything severely broken. That was good. At least she's alright.
I then went on to between Akeno-san's and Yuuki's beds.
My will shattered completely.
Yuuki… she was still bleeding into her bandages. The armor on her legs had been completely shattered. Her usually beautiful, blonde hair was now singed and burnt at certain spots.
A felt a hand on my shoulder. One of the nurses gave me a reassuring look. "She will be fine. They're all being treated with the best. It will take a while to remove all of the damage, but these kinds of injuries aren't too uncommon in Rating Games. If anything, I'd say Rias Gremory-sama's Queen got the worst of it…"
My heart stopping completely, I turned on my heels and faced Akeno.
Akeno-san…her clothes were in tatters and her body was injured all over. She was even more badly burnt from the Bomb Queen's attacks than Yuuki. Her usually pure skin was littered with burn scars and all sorts of open wounds. The doctors were still actively working on healing her injuries.
I… I hadn't been paying attention. I was more focused on Issei and Yuuki… I failed to even notice that my friend was beaten so brutally.
As the doctors began using magic to heal the most severe injuries, I couldn't help but feel confused how this could even happen… She should've been teleported long before she got this injured…
Then I thought back to how Riser's Knight, Tania, had resisted the force of the spell that tried to make her retire due to her injuries.
Staring at her sadly, I brushed hair out of Akeno-san's face, allowing me to glimpse her previously flawless features.
"... Akeno… Yuuki… Koneko…" They…my friends… they all fought so hard…They fought so hard… "And I just sat back like a damned loser… I couldn't do anything…Damn it…"
Hm…?
There was water on Akeno-san's face. With a gentle thumb, I wiped it away.
But then another drop of water landed on her face. Then I noticed that my eyes stung as if someone had been cutting onions right in front of them.
I was crying. Not for the fact that I knew victory was hopeless by this point. Not for the fact I would most likely never see my friends again. No. I cried for my friends who had fought so hard while I joked around and sat back, doing nothing to help them. I said I was helping them train, but that was a lie…It was a lie I created to hide my own uselessness.
"Namikaze-kun."
I moved away from Akeno-san's bedside, turning to face Sitri-senpai who stood at the door, staring at me with soft eyes.
I wiped my eyes, doing my best to regain a more professional appearance. But every time I tried clearing my eyes, more tears came out to replace the previous ones. "Ah… forgive me… My pathetic side is showing again."
We maintained an awkward silence for a quite a while before Senpai spoke again.
"Onee-sama was quite upset when you left so abruptly." Senpai said. "Are… Are you okay…?"
"...No." I replied honestly. "I… Deep down… I think I knew this would be the outcome. I think I was just too deep in denial to admit it."
Senpai nodded, looking apologetic. "Yes. That is true. Even with the ten days granted to her for training, the chances of Rias winning, even IF she utilized Hyoudou Issei's full power, were small. I wanted to believe in the best, but the outcome was fairly obvious." We both admitted our most honest thoughts. "Do you… Do you want to see how the match ends…?"
I bit my lower lip, resisting the tears that continued to flow down the sides of my face.
"No…" I said. "...Until the very last second, I want to remain by their sides."
"I understand."
"Can you stay with me?" It was a selfish request to ask of Sona-senpai, who had other things to do, but just being alone with the friends whom I failed to protect would only hurt more. If there was one other person around… I couldn't help but feel that it would lighten my pain. I fully expected her answer to be no, stating she had something else to do.
"Of course."
I turned and stared at Senpai in shock. Then I gave her a nod of appreciation.
Senpai walked over to my side and sat in a chair next to me.
I closed my eyes, bracing for the inevitable announcement.
Rias-sama's resignation confirmed. It is the victory of Riser Phenex-sama.
I felt a huge constricting pressure around my heart, experiencing even more pain as I imagined the defeated look on Issei and Rias's faces… The only reason Rias would have submitted willingly would be if… The only thing that could crush her spirit would be… Oh… Issei…
I buried my face into my hand, unable to suppress the torrent of tears that came spilling out once more. This unbearable pain…
"Dammit…"
"... Haruto." An awkward yet reassuring hand gripped my arm. Senpai clearly was not experienced with this because she clearly looked empathetic, but seemed to have trouble figuring out how to express it in a way to cheer me up or at least stop my tears. After a few awkward minutes, Senpai pulled her hand away, but I grabbed hers. I didn't care if she got the wrong idea and got irritated by me. I didn't care if she slapped me for this misleading gesture…
I didn't want to feel alone.
Senpai seemed surprised, but didn't take her hand away. She nodded, as if understanding my intentions. She gave me a reassuring squeeze, letting me numb my pain with her presence.
It could've been a minute. An hour. Or even a day. I wouldn't have noticed.
I wouldn't have if the door hadn't opened at that moment, revealing the figure of a familiar, big-busted loli.
"So this is where you've been!" Ravel Phenex placed her hands on her hips. "You DO remember the conditions of the wager between Serafall Leviathan-sama and Onii-sama?" She was looking so bright and cheerful… I couldn't hate this girl despite the fact she's part of the reason I would not be able to see my friends anymore…
I gave Senpai an appreciative smile before I finally, and reluctantly, let go of her hand, turning to face the girl who won the wager.
After walking in front of the blonde bishoujou, I knelt down before her. "As the victor of the wager between Serafall Leviathan-sama and Riser Phenex, I am now transferred to your service, Ravel Phenex-sama, as your new Queen." I humbly grasped her hand and brought it to my lips. My freedom was gone. I had no choice but to show my new master the respect I owed her as her servant.
"That's good." Ravel-sama said, smiling as she pulled her hand away. I got to my feet as she turned her back to me. "Come now, Haruto-sam—No. Perhaps I should call you just Haruto since you are MY servant now." She sounded awfully pleased with herself. "Anyway, come with me. We must go to meet Onii-sama. We will be returning to the Underworld to make wedding preparations once Onii-sama's servants are fully recovered."
I nodded, bowing emotionlessly in response to Ravel-sama's command. "Yes, master."
I followed her as she walked out the door, only stopping once to say three words to the girl who stood behind me:
"So long, Sona."
And then I walked out the door.
It may have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard an equally sad response:
"... Goodbye."