The cathedral was a vision of grandeur—vaulted ceilings, sunlight spilling through stained glass. At the altar, an elderly man in a golden crown stood tall, his presence commanding. Before him, two young women knelt, cloaks billowing behind them.
One was Xenovia Quarta: resolute, blue-haired, her gaze unwavering. The other, Irina Shidou, was all energy and optimism, her chestnut hair tied into playful twin tails.
"You are the finest Holy Sword wielders of the Catholic and Protestant churches," the elder intoned gravely. "By order of Archangel Michael, you are to depart at once. Hunt down the fallen and the lost, reclaim the stolen Excalibur."
"Yes, Your Holiness," both girls replied in perfect unison.
"Go forth, faithful believers. May the Lord's blessing be with you."
With a final bow, Xenovia and Irina rose and left the cathedral, the echo of their footsteps trailing behind.
Outside, Xenovia glanced at her companion. "Irina, it's been a while. I didn't expect we'd be paired for this mission."
Irina grinned. "Same here, Xenovia! Let's do our best!"
They fell easily into conversation, their banter familiar and warm.
"Those damned heretics and fallen angels," Xenovia muttered, fists clenched. "Destroying churches and stealing holy swords… It's unforgivable!"
Irina nodded, her smile never faltering. "We'll punish them for sure!"
But inwardly, she rolled her eyes. The Lord's dignity? What did it matter, when the Lord himself was already dead? Of course, Irina kept that thought to herself—some truths were best left unspoken.
As they left the cathedral, Irina gazed up at the sky, anticipation sparkling in her eyes. "I wonder how Tenra's doing… I've gotten way stronger since we last met—he won't know what hit him!"
—
After club activities ended, Tenra was just about to head home with the others when Akeno slipped her arm through his.
"Tenra, come with me. There's somewhere I want to go."
He nodded without hesitation. "Sure."
Rias seemed to know what Akeno had in mind; she simply smiled and waved the rest of the girls off. Tenra gave Yubelluna and the others instructions to head home first.
"Raynare, you're not coming either," Akeno added, meeting the persistent fallen angel's gaze with a sweet, unyielding smile.
Raynare's face froze, her irritation barely contained. If looks could kill, Akeno would have been impaled on the spot.
"Wendine just reported that more god-worshippers have discovered the secret behind our devil flyers," Tenra said, turning to Raynare, Mittelt, and Kalawarner. "Go handle the cleanup."
"Yes, Master." Raynare shot Akeno one last venomous glare before leaving with her teammates.
—
The shrine was perched atop a gentle mountain, its stone steps winding through ancient trees. When Tenra reached the top, he paused, surprised by the sight—a sprawling, dignified shrine, untouched by time.
"After the previous priest passed away, no one took over," Akeno explained. "Rias arranged for me to have this land."
She smiled, bittersweet. "I wanted to prove my mother's existence, so I inherited her role—became the shrine maiden who watches over this place."
Akeno's voice trembled with irony. "Funny, isn't it? A shrine maiden should be pure, but here I am—a reincarnated devil with fallen angel blood…"
Old memories flickered across her face, shadowed and sad.
Tenra tapped her forehead, feigning annoyance. "If you're going to mope, at least do it alone. Don't drag me into your self-pity."
He knew what it felt like—he had devil blood himself.
Akeno giggled, her mood lightening. "No way. If I'm suffering, I'm bringing you along for the ride!"
She tugged him inside. "Come on, Tenra. I've got a surprise for you."
—
"Akeno, is this your big surprise?" Tenra asked, staring down at the broom in his hands.
Akeno's eyes sparkled with mischief. "I'm the only shrine maiden here, so cleaning falls to me. Rias and Koneko used to help, but from now on, it's your job."
She pressed the broom into his grip. "Hurry up and get started. After we're done, I'll show you the real surprise."
Tenra sighed, resigned. So he'd been brought here as free labor. And while Akeno worked her magic to clean with a flick of her wrist, Tenra had to do it the old-fashioned way—sweeping, sweating, one stroke at a time.
For the first time, Tenra truly lamented his lack of magical talent.
When the shrine was spotless, Tenra was drenched in sweat and dust. At Akeno's urging, he retreated to the bathhouse and scrubbed himself clean, emerging refreshed.
Back in the main room, he sipped hot tea Akeno had brewed, a faint smile curling his lips. The nostalgia hit him—back when they'd wandered together, they'd often found abandoned shrines to rest in. This place felt like a piece of that past.
"Tenra."
He looked up. Akeno stood in the doorway, her face adorned with a light touch of makeup, her body draped in red-and-white shrine maiden robes. She lowered her head shyly.
"Do… do I look good?"
Tenra's breath caught. "You look beautiful."
It was the first time he'd seen her like this—definitely a surprise.
Akeno relaxed, sinking onto Tenra's lap. She closed her eyes, nestling into his arms. Her scent was soft, intoxicating. Tenra held her gently, both lost in the quiet warmth of the moment.
"Tenra, let's come here often, just the two of us," Akeno whispered, gazing up at him.
"Whenever you want," Tenra promised. "But… do I get a reward?"
Akeno's eyes glinted. She leaned close, lips brushing his ear. "Your reward is… you can do anything you want to me."
Tenra's smile turned wicked. "Best reward ever."
He dipped his head and kissed her, slow and deep.
Passion kindled between them, burning away the shrine's sacred silence. They didn't cross every line, but they came dangerously close—two lovers defiling holy ground with their desire.
As dusk fell, they finally pulled apart, breathless and sated. After straightening their clothes and sharing a secret smile, Akeno opened a teleportation circle, and together they returned home.
But the moment Tenra stepped through the door, he was greeted by unexpected news—
Raynare had been injured.
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