The morning classes had just wound to a close, and the buzz of lunch break was beginning to fill the air.
The members of the "D×D" team had been summoned in a hurry to the Occult Research Club's clubroom. The reason for our sudden gathering was a call from Azazel-sensei.
Sensei scanned the room, looking over each of us before he spoke.
"I believe Tiamat has already passed some information along, but we've confirmed it on our end. Or rather, we received official notice. Raiser Phoenix is safe."
Right—we were here because of the Raiser situation. Tiamat had mentioned there would be a formal update, but I hadn't expected it to come through Sensei.
Beside me, Ravel let out a long, shaky breath, her hand pressed against her chest. Even though the earlier news had eased her mind, hearing the official confirmation seemed to finally let her soul rest. She looked truly, deeply relieved.
The rest of the group shared her sentiment, a collective sigh of tension leaving the room. As the atmosphere mellowed, I turned to Sensei.
"Did the notice come from Tiamat? Actually, if it did, she probably would have contacted me directly..."
"Most likely," Sensei nodded. "The message didn't come from Tiamat. It came from the Great Satan, Ajuka Beelzebub. He's the one who took Raiser into custody."
[Miu's Perspective]
On the night of the day we received the news from Azazel-sensei, the D×D members had temporarily disbanded to their respective homes.
Apparently, Raiser-san would be returned to the Phoenix estate in a few days. However, before that happens, there's to be an explanation regarding the incident, which means we're scheduled to meet with Ajuka Beelzebub himself.
I headed back to my room after taking a bath with my big brother. Now, I was making my way down to the living room. Big brother was holed up in his room; he mentioned having something he needed to take care of.
On the stairs, I ran into Rias-san and Asia-san.
"Are you two just getting out of the bath?" I asked.
"Yes," Rias replied with a smile. "Have you already finished, Miu?"
"Yeah. I just got out with Big Brother."
Rias's expression shifted slightly. "...Miu, wouldn't you consider letting me have a turn next time? I'd like to wash Issei's back once in a while!"
"M-me too!" Asia added, her face flushing. "I want to wash Issei-san's back as well!"
"Ahaha... How about we set up a rotation next time? Since the others are here, too."
"That sounds fair," Rias agreed.
"Yes," Asia nodded solemnly. "Issei-san belongs to everyone, after all."
The two of them agreed to my suggestion. My brother really is popular, isn't he? I suppose it's just a testament to his charm. I mean, I fell for it too, didn't I?
As we walked toward the living room, Asia spoke softly. "I'm so glad Raiser-san is safe. Truly."
She let out a sigh of pure relief. Rias smiled warmly in response.
"Yes, it's a weight off our shoulders. Even though we had Tiamat's report through Issei... it's good to have it confirmed. Though, it doesn't exactly clear up all the mysteries."
The questions Rias alluded to hung in the air.
How did Tiamat know Raiser was safe? Why was Ajuka Beelzebub the one protecting him? What exactly is the connection between Tiamat and the Great Satan?
And above all—where has the Champion, Diehauser Belial, disappeared to?
Apparently, this information is top-secret, known only to a select few. Tiamat had told Big Brother that she couldn't even tell him yet. There must be a darkness hidden here that exceeds our wildest guesses.
We'll likely find out the truth when we meet him, my brother had muttered earlier.
Just as we entered the living room, hoping to grab some post-bath ice cream, a cheerful voice greeted us.
"Oh, did you three just get out of the bath? Hehe, Asia-chan, those new pajamas look lovely on you."
Mom was at the table, with various items spread out before her. Asia beamed at the compliment.
"Thank you, Mother... Um, what are you doing?"
"Me? Oh, just looking through these," Mom said, holding up a book. It was a photo album.
There were several albums scattered across the table, all filled with photos of Big Brother when he was little.
"I think I've shown these to you before," Mom remarked.
"That was back before the house was renovated, when the club had a sleepover here," I recalled with a smile. "Rias-san was getting so excited back then."
Rias's face turned bright red. "T-that's because little Issei was just so adorable! A-and I wasn't the only one, you know!?"
She was completely flustered. I always find this side of the usually dignified Rias quite cute. Even though we're both girls and she's older, it makes me want to give her a hug.
We sat down on the sofa, each picking up an album to peer into Big Brother's past.
Aaah... Little Brother Issei...! No matter how many times I see these, he's so cute! I could look at these forever and never get bored.
Actually, Azazel-sensei once made a gadget that turned Big Brother back into a toddler... The reaction from everyone was intense. He was basically treated like a living stuffed animal.
I've seen these albums a few times, but one thing always strikes me. The photos were taken for every little milestone, titled things like "Issei's First [Blank]."
Just like the album Big Brother made for me, his own growth was recorded with incredible detail.
"I wonder if Big Brother actually takes after Mom?" I mused.
"Maybe," Mom said softly. "...He's our only son. At the end of the day, to both his father and me, he's our precious child. I suppose that's why, every so often, I find myself wanting to look at everything from his baby pictures to the ones from just the other day. He was so small back then. Now he's grown so much that I sometimes think, 'Did this boy really fit inside my belly?'"
Mom laughed, though there was a hint of something deeper in her voice. It's a feeling only a mother who has watched every second of his growth could have. He went from being small enough to cradle to being taller than her—now he's the one who could pick her up. It's the natural order of things, yet to a mother, it's a miracle.
If I ever become a mother, will I feel the way she does? I couldn't help but wonder what kind of parent I would be.
As I looked through the albums, I noticed something else. Lying apart from the photos was a Maternal and Child Health Handbook.
Rias picked it up curiously. "This is..."
"That's a health handbook," Mom explained. "It's used to record everything from pregnancy to birth, and the child's growth and health afterwards. I don't know how they do it in the Underworld or abroad, but in Japan, it's what a mother uses to keep a record of her child."
Rias turned the pages. They were cramped with handwriting—everything from his condition in the womb to the doctor's notes.
"Oh, that's right. I have the ultrasound photos too," Mom said, pulling out another album. Inside were several grainy photos of Big Brother before he was even born.
I think this was the first time I'd seen these.
As Rias flipped through the handbook, I noticed something tucked between the pages. They were charms for a safe delivery.
There were two of them.
Two?
As I tilted my head in confusion, Mom spoke up. Her eyes had grown incredibly sad.
"Those are... for the babies I had inside me before Issei was born."
"Eh...?" The word escaped me before I could think.
Rias and Asia looked equally stunned, their expressions uncomprehending at first. But as the silence stretched, the weight of the words began to sink in.
Babies who were there before Big Brother. But Big Brother has no older siblings.
Which meant—
Mom took a deep breath and looked us in the eyes.
"This is something even Issei doesn't know. I haven't spoken of it since he was born... But someday, you girls will have children of your own. So, perhaps I should tell you. No, I think it's something you should know if you're going to be mothers."
Mom began her story. She rested her hand on her stomach, her voice distant as she reached back into the past.
"I was born with a constitution that made it very difficult to conceive. We didn't find out until a few years into our marriage. We struggled for a long time, but finally, I got pregnant. Your father and I were over the moon. Finally, we thought. Finally. But..."
Mom's expression darkened.
"During a check-up, the doctor told me... that I had to give up on the baby. It was because of my body. Your father told me not to blame myself, but I always... Still, two years later, it happened again. I was pregnant. You should have seen your father's joy then."
Apparently, Dad had been ecstatic. The two of them had rushed to the bookstore and bought every book they could find on pregnancy and childcare. Mom joked that they overdid it, but it just showed how much they had been waiting. They sought out second opinions, desperate to do everything right.
This time, for sure. This time we'll bring this child into the world. That was their only thought.
But tragedy struck a second time. She wasn't able to carry that baby to term either.
"That was a truly bitter time. The doctors said we weren't the only ones this happened to... but I couldn't help asking, 'Why us?' I even hated God for a while, wondering why our babies kept being taken away."
After that, the two of them halfway gave up on having children and decided to just live their lives as a couple. They traveled, went shopping, went fishing. Mom said it was like being newlyweds all over again.
Suddenly, Mom picked up the health handbook and stroked the cover.
"Eight years after we married... when we had truly given up, another baby came to me. I cried so hard I couldn't see through the tears. After that, your father and I were possessed by a singular determination. One night, your father came home barefoot in the middle of winter. When I asked him what on earth he was doing, what do you think he said?"
We all shook our heads, baffled. Mom smiled at our confusion.
"He had been visiting shrines to pray, walking barefoot even though it was a night cold enough to snow. I scolded him, of course. I asked him, 'What will we do if you get sick!?'"
"But... that just shows how desperate he was, right?" I asked softly.
"Yes. It made me so happy. To be honest, it was a lot of pressure, too. I spent nights terrified that it would go wrong again. But I told myself, 'Third time's the charm!' I pushed away the dark thoughts and resolved to bring this child into the world. And the one who was finally born was—"
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