"Not going to train?"
With a faint smile, Yoru looked down at the chaotic scene in the courtyard. At that moment, a gentle fragrance drifted in from behind, along with a soft, soothing voice.
Without turning, he already knew who it was. Shaking his head in amusement, Yoru replied,
"Azazel has no right to train me. As for that dragon, that's even more impossible."
His tone carried a certain pride. Behind him, Grayfia shook her head slightly.
"Your strength is indeed formidable, on par with a Maou-level being. But in terms of experience, Azazel surpasses you by far. Pride and arrogance are not things you should indulge in."
There was care in her tone, even a hint of fondness. Surprised, Yoru turned to look at her, but she quickly averted her gaze.
"Are you worried about me, Grayfia?"
He boldly reached out and took her hand. It was quite the daring move, especially here in the Gremory household.
But Yoru was unfazed—after all, everything he did had Sirzechs's approval.
"You're a soldier of the Gremory family, and a hope for the Underworld's future. Is it wrong for me to care for you? Your talent is rare in thousands of years, but I don't want it to blind you."
"Don't worry. I won't let you down."
Yoru gave her a warm smile before turning toward the main hall.
"I hope… that's the case."
Watching him leave, Grayfia let out a quiet sigh.
Yoru was indeed outstanding—but sometimes being too outstanding could be dangerous. In Grayfia's eyes, someone so young and undefeated might never learn from failure, and that kind of unbroken winning streak could make one's ego swell without limit.
—
In the Gremory household's main hall—
"You came inside too? Weren't you outside training them?"
Seeing Azazel lounging lazily on the sofa, Yoru couldn't help but chuckle. This Governor-General really didn't seem reliable at all.
"Well, Saint Tannin can handle the training. There's nothing much I need to teach them."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk… what an irresponsible thing to say."
Yoru shook his head with an expression that said you're hopeless.
"Actually, I came in to tell you something."
Azazel's tone grew serious, catching Yoru's attention.
"You know about Akeno's situation, right? Even now, she refuses to accept the fallen angel blood flowing through her. If she did, her power would become far greater."
Yoru nodded slightly.
"And what does that have to do with Koneko?"
"Because Koneko is the same… If she were willing to face her true power, she would also become incredibly strong."
Azazel's words made Yoru pause in surprise before asking curiously,
"Does Koneko also have some kind of powerful bloodline in her?"
"Exactly. She has the blood of a Nekomata! Not just any cat spirit, but the strongest kind—a survivor of the Nekoshou clan. They're high-class youkai capable of using not only youjutsu but even senjutsu!"
Azazel's voice was serious.
"If she's a Nekomata… then why is she troubled? Shouldn't she be happy to have such a powerful bloodline?"
Yoru looked puzzled.
"Akeno resents her fallen angel blood because of her father. But why does Koneko have such a problem with hers?"
"I think… I should be the one to explain."
With a gentle sigh, a woman with long flaxen hair—strikingly similar to Rias—walked in.
Seeing Rias's mother, Venelana, enter, Yoru instinctively started to rise, but she waved her hand with a warm smile, telling him not to bother with formality.
Then, Yoru heard a story—about two sister cats.
From the moment they were born, the sisters were inseparable. Whether sleeping, eating, or playing, they were always together. But after their parents died, they had no home and no one to rely on. The two of them wandered the Underworld, living each day clinging to each other.
"Then one day, the sisters were picked up by a devil. The elder sister became a servant, and the younger lived with her. Finally, they had a stable and happy life, and the sisters believed that happiness would last forever." Venelana sighed as she continued.
"But it didn't last long. Soon, a change occurred. The elder sister's power grew rapidly. Her hidden talent, awakened by becoming a reincarnated devil, surged forth all at once."
"She was already a youjutsu prodigy. On top of that, her magic power blossomed, and eventually, she could even use senjutsu—the art reserved for sages."
"In a short time, she surpassed her master. But her power consumed her, and she became a wicked being who sought only blood and battle."
"Unable to control her growing strength, the elder sister killed her own master and became a Stray Devil. And not just any Stray—one of the most dangerous of all. She even wiped out the entire pursuit squad sent after her…"
"Eventually, the devils gave up trying to hunt her—for the time being. But the younger sister was then blamed."
"'This cat might lose control one day too. Better to dispose of her now,' they said."
"The one who saved her from execution was Sirzechs. He tirelessly persuaded the higher-class devils that the younger sister was innocent. Finally, the matter was settled on the condition that Sirzechs himself would watch over her."
"But betrayed by the sister she trusted most, and constantly accused by other devils, the young girl's spirit was nearly broken…"
"So Sirzechs entrusted her—this girl who had lost her smile and her will to live—to Rias. After meeting Rias, she slowly regained her emotions. Then, Rias gave her a name—"
"—and that name was Koneko."
---
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