Morning came to Kuoh Town with an almost deliberate gentleness.
The sun rose slowly over the residential district, casting long golden rays across quiet streets still damp with dew. Birds chirped in the trees lining the sidewalks. A few early risers walked their dogs or jogged past closed storefronts. The town had that peaceful, sleepy quality that made last night's chaos feel like a fever dream.
In the living room of his apartment, Yuuto Kiba sat on the plastic chair, wide awake despite the early hour.
In his hands, he held a sword.
The Yamato.
The katana was a masterpiece—roughly four feet from pommel to tip, the saya a deep midnight blue so dark it seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Silver reinforcements wrapped around the scabbard at precise intervals. The tsuka was bound in dark blue cord, worn but immaculate, and the circular tsuba bore an intricate pattern that seemed to shift when viewed from different angles.
He'd drawn it partially from its sheath. The steel was flawless, pristine, with a faint blue tint that made it look almost ethereal.
This wasn't just a weapon. This was the blade that could slice through dimensions themselves.
"Yuuto-sama?"
He glanced up to find Ravel Phenex standing in the doorway, her golden hair catching the morning light. She was already dressed, her blue eyes curious as they fixed on the sword in his hands.
"What's with that sword?" She walked closer, tilting her head "You've been staring at it for a while now."
He smiled slightly. "It's called Yamato. A new sword I acquired." He stood, feeling the weight of the blade settle comfortably in his grip. "With this, I can rip through space itself. Travel anywhere in just a few seconds." He met her eyes. "Pretty cool, right?"
Ravel's eyes widened. "You can... travel through space?" Disbelief colored her voice. "I've never seen or heard of such a weapon. Not even in Father's collection."
"Want to see?"
Before she could answer, he raised the Yamato and slashed horizontally and then vertically through the air.
SLASH!
SLASH!
Reality tore.
A spatial rift opened before them, edges crackling with blue energy. Through it, Ravel could see a completely different location—what looked like a beach, waves crashing against sand.
Ravel stared, mouth slightly open "That's... that's incredible"
He stared at the rift with a thought and then held out his hand to her "Come on. I'll show you."
She looked at his outstretched hand, then back at his face. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she reached out and took it.
Their fingers intertwined.
*She can't be thinking this is lewd, right?* Yuuto thought *It's just holding hands.*
And with that thought, together they stepped through.
---
## [Fifteen minutes later]
They emerged back into the living room through a spatial tear that sealed shut behind them.
Ravel was breathless, eyes bright with wonder "We went everywhere! Paris, London, the mountains in Switzerland—Yuuto-sama, that was amazing!"
"My my~"
They both turned to find Lady Rayne standing in the hallway, a knowing smile on her elegant features. The mother of Ravel Phenex was as beautiful as her daughter, with golden hair that fell in waves and eyes that sparkled with mischief.
"Where were you two traveling all by yourselves?" Her tone was teasing, and Ravel's face immediately went red.
"Mother!"
"What? I'm simply curious where my daughter disappears to so early in the morning, holding hands with a handsome young man~"
"We were just—it wasn't—" Ravel stammered, pulling her hand away from Yuuto's.
Lady Rayne's smile widened. She did love teasing her daughter.
Yuuto cleared his throat "Lady Rayne. I was just demonstrating my new sword's capabilities."
"Oh, I'm sure you were~" She moved into the living room with grace. "Though I must say, after last night's scuffle with a Cadre, I'm surprised you have the energy for travel this morning."
Yuuto agreed "But it's over now. Azazel took him back to the Grigori."
"Hmm." Lady Rayne settled onto the couch. "Still, to defeat a ten-winged Cadre at your age... you continue to surprise me." She glanced out the window at Kuoh Town. "This is quite a fascinating little territory you've carved out here."
"It's Rias's territory, technically."
She echoed, amusement in her voice. "But you're the one who defended it." She looked back at him. "You know, in all the time I've been here, I haven't actually explored the town. I've mostly remained in this apartment."
Ravel perked up. "Mother, we should see the shopping district! And the park, and—"
"Would you like me to show you around?" Yuuto offered.
Lady Rayne's smile returned, warm and genuine. "That would be lovely. I'd like to see what makes this town so lively and worth protecting"
*Bzzt. Bzzt.*
Yuuto's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
A message from Rias: *ORC room. Morning. Need to talk.*
*'Of course'* He sighed internally *'No rest for the wicked'*
"I'm sorry," he said, looking up at Lady Rayne and Ravel. "Rias needs to see me at the school. But this afternoon. I'll take you both around town then. I promise."
"We'll hold you to that, Yuuto-sama," Ravel said with a smile.
Lady Rayne's eyes sparkled with knowing amusement "Don't keep us waiting~"
*Is it me hallucinating or she got more bold recently?*
---
## [Occult Research Club Room]
When Yuuto stepped into the clubroom, his brow raised slightly.
*They haven't left town yet?*
Xenovia Quarta and Irina Shidou sat on the couch, both dressed in their white Church robes. Xenovia's posture was rigid, her eyes focused ahead. Irina fidgeted slightly, her hands clasped in her lap.
Rias sat behind her desk, crimson hair gleaming in the morning light. Akeno stood beside her, that familiar gentle smile on her face as she noticed his arrival.
"Yuuto" Rias's voice was calm, measured. "Thank you for coming. I apologize for calling you here so early....you should be recovering from last night's battle."
He walked further into the room, moving toward the couch opposite the two exorcists. He settled into it with practiced ease, his gaze sweeping over Xenovia and Irina before shifting to Rias.
A small smirk tugged at his lips "Compared to the wounds Valper gave me? This is nothing to be concerned about."
Silence crashed down on the room like a wave.
Both Rias and Akeno's expressions flickered—something dark passing through their eyes. They knew. Kokabiel had announced it during the battle, after seeing Yuuto create holy-demonic swords. Valper's disappearance was no mystery anymore.
And they could only imagine what sort of hell Yuuto had put the bastard through before the end.
Rias's fingers tightened slightly on her desk. Akeno's smile became strained at the edges, a hint of hatred mixing with worry for him.
Xenovia broke the silence.
"He deserved it for the heinous deeds that he did" Her voice was flat, matter-of-fact. "The Church had been searching for him since his excommunication. What he did—the Holy Sword Project, the children he tortured"
"He went against everything the Church taught us" Irina added, her voice softer but no less firm. "The sanctity of life, the protection of the innocent... he violated it all." Her hands clasped tighter. "God punished him through you, Kiba-kun. Through one of his own victims. There's... there's a certain rightness to that."
Her words carried that deep reverence, that unshakeable faith in the Church and its teachings.
Yuuto studied her for a moment.
*'They still don't know, the truth..'*
The revelation about God's death—Rias hadn't told them. Probably for the best. These two held such deep faith, such absolute reverence for the Almighty. Learning the truth would shatter them. Like telling someone the parents they thought were alive, the parents they'd dreamed of meeting, only to realize they been dead long ago.
Some truths were kindnesses left unspoken.
His gaze drifted to the white ribbon wrapped around Irina's arm—Excalibur Mimic in its disguised form. Then to the cloth-wrapped bundle in Xenovia's lap, the broken fragments of Excalibur Destruction and other Excaliburs.
"You got your weapons back" he observed "So why are you still here?"
He glanced at the fragments again, then back at Xenovia "Did your superiors order you to take care of me too?"
Xenovia shook her head. "No. The Church has shown no displeasure with our mission so far. We recovered all the Excalibur fragments. That's what mattered to them"
"We're here because...." She met his eyes directly "We wanted to thank you."
"Thank me?"
"You saved our lives" Xenovia's voice was steady, her gaze firm "When we fought Kokabiel, we were outmatched. Completely. We would have been killed if you hadn't shown kindness" She paused "And you brought us back from the brink of death with Phoenix Tears. You had no obligation to do that. Yet you did"
"Kiba-kun..." Irina's voice was smaller now, uncertain "We treated Asia-san terribly and said awful things about devils, about this peerage." She fidgeted, looking down in her lap "You would have been justified in... in leaving us to our fate."
Xenovia straightened even more, if that was possible. "If it would make you feel better, you can hit me." The offer was genuine, her expression serious. "For how I treated Asia. For the things I said. I'll accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate."
"It would be better," Irina added, fear and apology mixing in her tone, "if we could view each other as good acquaintances from here on. Instead of enemies." She bit her lip. "But if you still wish to punish us... I understand."
For a long moment, Yuuto said nothing.
He just looked at them. Studied their expressions. The genuine remorse in Irina's eyes. The stoic acceptance of her faults in Xenovia's words despite her lack of display in her demeanour.
Rias and Akeno watched carefully, uncertain what he would say.
Finally, he stood.
He dusted off his clothes with casual movements, then met both their gazes.
"I never once thought of you as my enemies. You said what you've been taught by your church and so do we. And as for showing kindness,.... I was once a human too"
Relief flooded both their faces.
"I don't hold grudges..." He smirked as he looked at them in eyes "But if I did..."
He let the words hang, his gaze drifting to their holy swords.
The unspoken implication was clear: *You'd know.*
Both exorcists tensed slightly.
Yuuto turned to Rias. "Lady Rayne and Ravel asked me to show them around town this afternoon. I should get back to them."
He glanced at Akeno, his expression softening. "I'm sorry we have to postpone our plans. We can't rush it. I want to make it memorable."
Akeno's smile brightened, genuine warmth filling her eyes. "I look forward to it, Yuuto-kun~"
He nodded to everyone and headed for the door.
As his hand touched the handle, one final thought crossed his mind.
*I can hope for some peace until next week*
He stepped out into the hallway, leaving the clubroom behind.
Outside, morning sunlight streamed through the windows. Another day in Kuoh Town. Another day of relative peace.
He'd enjoy it while it lasted.
. . .
For supporting me and for advance chapters, you can check on
p*treon.com/opeler
Replace * with a