Sitri Territory – Sitri Family Mansion
Sona was alone in her bedroom, far from the busy corridors of the mansion and the voices of the servants preparing everything for Tomoe's body to arrive. The curtains remained closed, allowing only a faint strip of light to cross the luxurious room.
She lay on her side on the bed, still wearing part of the clothes she had worn during the attack on Kuoh Academy. Her glasses had been left on the bedside table, and without them, the firm posture of the Student Council President seemed to have completely disappeared.
"I'm a failure." Sona covered part of her face with one hand as the tears escaped without restraint. "How could I let Tomoe die like that? I'm useless."
The words came out muffled, but they filled the entire room. Since returning to the Sitri territory, she had maintained her composure in front of Tsubaki, Momo, Issei, and the other members of the peerage, organizing reports and giving instructions as if she were still in control.
Only after closing the bedroom door did she allow the pressure to fall upon her.
The image of Tomoe kept returning.
The spear piercing through the wall.
The holy energy destroying everything in its path.
The body falling among the debris before any order could be given.
Sona pressed her fingers into the bedsheet as her breathing became uneven. She had always believed that planning, discipline, and preparation would be enough to protect those who had chosen to follow her.
That night, none of it had mattered.
"What kind of master am I?" Sona turned her face into the pillow, trying to muffle her crying. "She entrusted her life to me, and I couldn't even react."
The guilt did not come only from the death. It came from every decision made before it.
Allowing Issei to bring Xenovia and Irina into the room.
Failing to notice the barrier before it was completed.
Not evacuating the peerage the moment the strange energy appeared.
Failing to protect Tomoe when the attack tore through the wall.
Sona knew rationally that everything had happened within seconds. She knew Kokabiel had prepared the trap and that Azraelion had attacked without warning, but logic did nothing to lessen the responsibility she felt as a King.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
The knocks on the door interrupted the flow of her thoughts.
Sona tightly closed her eyes and did not move.
"Go away."
For several seconds, no one answered. She assumed Tsubaki or one of the servants was on the other side, too worried to respect her request for isolation.
"It's me."
Serafall's voice came through the door.
Sona immediately recognized her sister's tone, but that did not change her decision.
"Go away."
Outside, Serafall remained standing before the door. For the first time in a long while, she was not wearing her colorful magical girl outfit, nor did she carry the exaggerated energy that usually dominated every room.
She wore dark formal clothing appropriate for her position as a Maou, but her face did not show Leviathan's authority. Her eyes were wet, and she had to run her fingers beneath them before more tears escaped.
Serafall had received the news of Tomoe's death shortly after the Sitri peerage returned. Since then, she had tried to handle the external procedures, but the thought of Sona alone inside the room made it impossible to maintain her concentration.
"Let me in." Serafall placed one hand against the door, although she did not try to force it open. "You know I can't stand seeing you sad like this."
"Then stay behind the door." Sona pulled the blanket closer around her body. "That way you won't see me."
Serafall took a deep breath, resisting the urge to open the door with magic.
"You know what I meant, Sona." She rested her forehead against the wood for a moment. "Your peerage is worried, and the Gremory servants have just brought Tomoe."
The name was enough to make Sona hold her breath.
Her hand left her face and tightened against the mattress.
"Her body arrived?"
"Yes." Serafall straightened her posture outside. "It was preserved during the investigation. Grayfia sent a report along with the servants."
Sona remained motionless for several seconds. Her desire to continue hiding conflicted with the responsibility she still carried toward Tomoe and her family.
"Come in."
The door slowly opened.
Serafall entered without her usual enthusiasm and closed it behind her. The room was darker than she expected, but one look toward the bed was enough to see Sona's red eyes and the tear marks across her face.
The sight tightened the Maou's chest.
Even so, Serafall did not rush to embrace her or try to turn the pain into a joke. She approached calmly and sat on the edge of the bed, respecting the space Sona was still trying to maintain.
"Look at me, Sona." Serafall placed one hand on the blanket near her sister's arm. "I know losing someone from your peerage is difficult, but your life and theirs do not end here."
"But I failed as a King." Sona turned her face toward her without trying to hide her tears. "Tomoe died because I wasn't strong enough to protect her."
Serafall held her sister's gaze for several seconds before answering.
"Losing to someone stronger happens." She kept her voice serious without softening the reality. "You can plan, train, and prepare your peerage, but you cannot control every enemy or predict every attack."
Sona pressed her lips together.
"That doesn't change the outcome."
"No." Serafall agreed, and the sincerity made Sona pay attention. "Tomoe is still dead, and nothing I say will change that. But you still have a peerage that returned with you, and now they need their King."
The words made Sona remember Tsubaki organizing the others after the teleportation. Momo trying to keep Reya away from the destroyed body. Issei lowering his head after being reprimanded.
All of them had lost Tomoe as well.
Even so, they had followed her orders and returned to the Sitri territory.
"You don't need to pretend that you aren't suffering." Serafall slid her hand until she reached Sona's fingers. "You can cry, feel angry, and even blame yourself for a while. But you cannot abandon those who still rely on you."
Sona looked away.
"And what if I fail again?"
"Then you learn, change, and become stronger." Serafall tightened her hand around hers. "That's what I did every time I lost someone or made the wrong decision."
Sona looked back at her. Serafall rarely spoke about her own experiences as a Maou, especially when they were alone, but the weight in her voice showed that this was not merely an attempt to comfort her.
"You went through this too?"
"More times than I would have liked." Serafall allowed a small, tired smile to appear. "The difference is that you usually only see the annoying sister who wears magical girl outfits."
Sona took a deep breath, and for the first time since entering the room, the pressure in her chest eased slightly.
"Thank you, Sister."
"You're welcome." Serafall raised a hand and moved a lock of hair away from her face. "Whenever you need me, I'll be here."
Sona did not pull away from the touch.
"I like it when you're serious with me."
Serafall raised her eyebrows slightly.
"And I like that neutral face you use to hide everything."
"I don't do that." Sona answered immediately, but her defensive tone no longer carried the same sadness.
"You do." Serafall allowed some of her usual personality to return. "You put on your glasses, cross your arms, and act as if no emotion could ever break through your mighty Sitri wall."
Sona sat up on the bed and wiped the last traces of tears from her face.
"Stop saying nonsense."
"Did I embarrass you?" Serafall leaned toward her with a teasing smile. "Is my So-tan trying to recover her serious expression?"
Sona gave her an irritated look, but got out of bed before her sister could continue.
"I need to arrange for Tomoe to be delivered to her family." She walked to the bedside table and put on her glasses. "I also need to speak with Tsubaki and organize the preparations."
Serafall watched the transformation happen before her. Sona was still shaken, but as she put on her glasses and straightened her posture, she began recovering the presence of a King that she had left outside the room.
"Yes." Serafall also abandoned the teasing. "You should do that."
Sona stopped in front of the door and held the handle. Before leaving, she looked at her sister over her shoulder.
"Thank you for not coming in wearing that ridiculous outfit."
Serafall placed a hand over her chest, pretending to be offended.
"My magical girl outfit is not ridiculous."
"It is."
Sona opened the door and left the room before the argument could continue. Her footsteps followed the corridor toward the main hall, where the peerage and the Gremory servants awaited further orders.
Serafall remained seated on the bed, staring at the open doorway for several seconds. Her smile slowly disappeared, replaced by an expression that was proud and still filled with pain.
'You are so strong, So-tan.'
She knew Sona would cry again. She knew the guilt would not disappear after a single conversation and that Tomoe's death would leave deep scars on the entire Sitri peerage.
But Sona had stood up.
And at that moment, it was enough.
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