"I wonder if Masaomi and Kanata have made it home yet?"
"Probably not quite yet. I imagine they're being especially cautious today."
"I suppose so... Ugh, I want to hear about how my brother is doing already!"
As the sun began to set over Kuoh Academy, two high school girls walked the path home, carrying grocery bags. Cleria Belial had decided that morning to make a particularly extravagant dinner, and they were picking up a few extra ingredients. She had no intention of wandering, but she wanted to do something—anything—for the people working so hard on their behalf. Looking down at the bags in her hands, Cleria allowed a gentle smile to touch her lips.
Once the strike ended, the only thing left would be the negotiations with the Church. Once the Church understood that Emperor Belial had recognized Masaomi Yaegaki and was moving for their sake, they would surely realize that this wouldn't escalate into a war. When that happened, there would be no more need for conflict. Cleria didn't want Masaomi to have to fight his own comrades. Even if their races were different, she believed they could understand one another. That was the simple, honest wish she and Masaomi had shared from the beginning.
"I'll have to make lots of delicious things today," Cleria murmured.
"Indeed," Luciana replied with a soft laugh. "That is what we can do for now."
"Right! Every small step counts, one at a time!"
Before, Cleria had spent many nights crying alone, crushed by the weight of constant rejection. She had worn a mask of smiles to hide her anxiety from others. Every day was a cycle of fear regarding an uncertain future. The one who had ended those dark days was a little magician—Kanata. Like a real wizard from a storybook, he had wiped away their fears.
Of course, the "little magician" could only do small things. Yet, the accumulation of those small efforts had restored the laughter to Cleria's heart. He had turned the fear of being misunderstood into the courage to stand tall. He reminded her of the importance of communicating one's feelings. Even if the magician himself was completely unaware of the impact he'd made.
"Oh? What's this?"
"Luciana?"
"A message from one of the peerage members on standby at home. Cleria, let's move somewhere private."
Luciana frowned as the magical communication reached her. The servants at the house knew they were stopping for groceries, so they wouldn't contact them unless something had changed. Something had gone wrong. Since they couldn't be seen activating a magic circle by regular humans, they ducked into a nearby, deserted park.
The only sound in the park was the splashing of a fountain. Once they confirmed they were alone, Luciana raised a hand to her ear and activated the communication circle. Cleria listened intently, keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings. The short winter twilight began to envelop them, casting long, stark shadows across the pavement.
"…Is that true?"
After a brief exchange, the tension in the air became stifling. A warning had arrived in Kuoh from Kanata. The Church was making suspicious moves, and it was impossible to believe it was unrelated to the strike. The Church was likely preparing to make contact with Cleria.
Luciana gritted her teeth, her mind racing. It was too dangerous for the two of them to be out alone. Their first priority had to be returning to their home base to regroup with the rest of the peerage.
They needed to tell Masaomi as well. Teleporting home via a magic circle was the safest bet, but would it draw too much attention? If the Church realized how they had detected their movements, it might cause trouble for Kanata. Despite the risk, Luciana decided that Cleria's safety was paramount.
"Cleria, I'm activating the teleportation magic."
"Wait! If we use teleportation here, won't it look suspicious?"
"Probably. But the worst-case scenario is something happening to you. Cleria, you cannot die here. Diehauser, Kanata, and so many others are fighting for you and Masaomi. We might cause some trouble later, but we have to move now."
"…I understand. I'll follow your judgment, my Queen."
Cleria nodded, pushing aside her worries about causing more trouble. She remembered what had happened before—how her attempts to hide the truth to avoid bothering her brother had only led to this crisis.
If Kanata hadn't intervened, she might have been purged without even getting a chance to act. They had to move. The Church had elite Exorcists, and the barrier around Kuoh Town meant the Belial peerage members were already being tracked. In this state, they couldn't run or fight effectively. Their only choice was to lock themselves in their home and focus on defense.
"I'm starting the preparations, so—"
Luciana's words died in her throat as a presence manifested in the park. Cleria felt it too, catching her breath and clenching her fists. Luciana closed her eyes for a split second, then stepped forward with resolve, shielding her King from the newcomer.
"Cleria, you handle the teleportation. I'll buy us time."
"Luciana, wait! You can't…!"
Cleria's voice was almost a scream. The Belial clan was not known for combat. Someone like Diehauser, who possessed Satan-class power, was an anomaly; Cleria, like most of her relatives, was not a fighter. She finally understood why Diehauser's mother found it so painful to watch her family fight.
Influenced by Diehauser, Cleria had dreamed of participating in the Rating Games when she was younger. She had studied and trained hard enough to handle Stray Devils, which was why she had been entrusted with managing Kuoh Town. But as she grew, she realized she lacked the talent to compete at a high level. She had cried to her brother about it once, but she had long since moved past it. She and her peerage had dedicated themselves to supporting the Belial house in their own way.
But now, she hated her lack of talent. If she had even a fraction of her brother's magical power, or Masaomi's skill with a blade, she wouldn't have to be protected like this. She knew that some things couldn't be achieved no matter how hard one tried, but it galled her to be a King so immature that she couldn't even protect her own childhood friend.
"Please, Cleria! Hurry!"
"Oh? Is that you, Cleria?"
Luciana's voice was cut off by a third party. It was a familiar, relaxed voice that made their hearts skip a beat.
They spun around to see a tall man with long black hair tied back. He walked toward them with a casual, puzzled expression.
"Ma-Masaomi...?"
"Yeah. Is something wrong? You two look like you're in an awful hurry."
He continued toward them from the park entrance. Since there was no one else in sight, the presence they felt must have been his.
"Good heavens, don't scare us like that! I think I just lost a year of my life," Luciana sighed, letting the tension drain out of her.
The man scratched his cheek, seemingly confused by their reaction. He clearly didn't know the Church had started moving yet. Luciana let out a long breath, almost laughing at herself for being so relieved by his usual, easygoing face.
At the very least, they were no longer alone. They now had Masaomi Yaegaki's combat power on their side. Even if they ran into other Exorcists, he could repel them. If Touji Shidou himself appeared, it might be a different story, but in that case, Luciana would simply prioritize getting Cleria to safety.
They needed to explain the situation and teleport back home together. Luciana grabbed Cleria's hand to run to him, but her feet stopped when Cleria resisted. She looked back, puzzled, only to see Cleria staring at Masaomi with a look of deep hesitation.
Luciana tilted her head in confusion. Why wasn't Cleria responding to her lover? Why wasn't she running to him with the same relief Luciana felt? Usually, Cleria would have thrown herself at him, but now she was rooted to the spot. It was as if she didn't want to go near him at all.
"Cleria, what is it?"
"…I don't know. But something is wrong. It looks like Masaomi, but it's not him..."
Cleria was confused by her own reaction. She had been just as happy as Luciana to hear his voice. But the moment she laid eyes on him, something felt wrong. That was what kept her from moving.
The man before her was undoubtedly Masaomi Yaegaki. He had the same long black hair, the same gentle expression, and the same warm atmosphere. But there was one thing only Cleria could notice.
"Masaomi?" she called out, testing him.
"What is it, Cleria?" he replied happily. His expression, his gestures, his tone—everything was identical. Except for one detail.
"No... you're not him. You aren't Masaomi!"
"What?"
"..."
"You look exactly like him. But that Masaomi is the Masaomi of the past. You aren't the Masaomi of the now! You aren't the man who changed after he met me!"
She realized the difference was in the eyes. Masaomi's eyes had changed after he met her, after he learned what it meant to love. She had watched that transformation closer than anyone. The "old" Masaomi had eyes that only looked forward, focused solely on fulfilling his mission. The "current" Masaomi cared about those around him, matching his pace to the person walking beside him. He had found his own path.
The man in front of them lacked that. It was as if time had been wound back to the Masaomi who existed before he met Cleria. While Luciana was still reeling from Cleria's words, the black-haired youth stopped. He met Cleria's accusing gaze in silence, then offered a sad smile.
"…You really do love him, don't you? You've never stopped watching him."
It happened in a heartbeat. Luciana, caught off guard by the familiar face, only realized she had been blown back when her back slammed into the park wall.
The air was knocked out of her. Blood pooled in her mouth, and her vision swam from the impact to her head. She collapsed to the ground, retching in pain as she struggled to stand.
"Luciana!"
"R-Run... please, just run...!"
Cleria stood frozen for a second before the sound of the impact snapped her back to reality. She tried to run to her friend, but Luciana's scream stopped her.
Before Cleria could move, the figure reached Luciana. He drew a blade from his waist, his eyes fixed on the two Devils.
"Cleria Belial. If you run, I will erase your servant right here. My only target is you. If you come with me quietly, I'll let her live."
"…!"
A sharp blade was pressed against Luciana's throat. The holy aura radiating from the sword made both Devils shudder with instinctive terror. The warm atmosphere from a moment ago was gone, replaced by a cold, empty void in the man's eyes as he gripped the beautiful hilt.
It was a weapon blessed by God, the kind that Devils feared most. There was no lie in his threat to erase Luciana; if that holy light struck a Devil, it could annihilate their very soul. People called those who wielded such power "Holy Sword Users." Cleria bit her lip as she realized the true identity of the man before her.
"Touji Shidou...!"
"…That's right. I had hoped you would lead me back to your home so I could incapacitate the rest of your peerage before taking you, but I suppose I'll leave that to the others."
"How... how did you do that?"
"Masaomi hasn't shown you yet, I see. The power of the Holy Sword of Phantasms, Excalibur Nightmare, is the ability to bewilder the opponent with illusions and dominate them through dreams. I usually avoid using this power outside of combat, but I can manifest an illusion from my own memories and wear it like a cloak. As you noticed, this form was a phantom of the Masaomi Yaegaki I remember."
"That's... impossible..."
As he spoke, the power of the Holy Sword faded, and the illusion of Masaomi vanished. Standing there was a man with chestnut hair wearing a priest's collar. It was Touji Shidou. He looked at Cleria with hollow, mechanical eyes, his voice devoid of emotion.
Cleria and Luciana were speechless. Touji's sword was a replica, so it couldn't sustain complex illusions for long, but projecting the image of a close comrade from his own memories was child's play. Even Luciana, who was close to Masaomi, had been completely deceived. Touji knew Masaomi's laugh, his speech, and even his habits.
Yet, a complex feeling stirred in Touji's chest when he realized he hadn't fooled Cleria. He understood all too well how much she loved the young priest. Still, he couldn't stop. He pushed aside his doubts and tightened his grip on the Holy Sword.
"Luciana!"
"Now, what will it be, Cleria Belial?"
The warrior's voice was as cold as a machine. Luciana tried to speak, but the blade grazed her neck with every movement, sending jolts of agony through her. She lay helpless, tears of frustration streaming down her face.
She knew what choice Cleria would make. The gentle King could never abandon her peerage or her friends, even if it meant walking into a trap.
"…If I come quietly, will you promise not to hurt my peerage?"
"I promise not to kill them."
"That's—"
"As long as your servants remain peaceful, they won't be harmed. But if they attack, we will have to respond in kind."
Touji spoke as if it were a simple matter of fact, and Cleria had no rebuttal. The Church and the Devils were ancient enemies. The Church had no reason to hesitate in destroying a Devil that attacked them. And she knew her peerage and Masaomi would never stay still while she was being taken. His promise not to kill them was already an extraordinary concession.
"What about Masaomi?"
"He has nothing to do with you. Masaomi Yaegaki is my subordinate, a warrior of the Church."
"Wait... what does that mean?!"
The air around Touji turned freezing, and Cleria went pale as she realized the implication. He had made up his mind. He was prepared to kill his own comrade with his own hands.
"Stop, please! Just a little longer... it's almost over!"
"I'm sorry, but we're out of time. I have to end this tragedy between the Church and the Devils here."
"My brother will never start a war! He would never hurt the people of the Church!"
Cleria screamed, tears streaming down her face. They were so close. They had worked so hard to ensure Masaomi's comrades wouldn't have to suffer anymore, so their hands wouldn't be stained with the blood of their own kind.
"I am a warrior of the Church," Touji cut her off. "I cannot trust the words of a Devil."
He dismissed her grief. "If you waste any more time, I'll take this Devil's head. And the others too."
"Why...? Fine... I understand. Just move the sword away from her. I'll do whatever you say."
Cleria suppressed her emotions and wiped her tears, forcing her voice to be steady. She had to be a King now. She had to obey him. Besides, it didn't mean Masaomi was dead yet. Resisting Touji here would achieve nothing.
The warrior nodded and pulled the blade away from Luciana's neck. Though she was free, Luciana was still paralyzed by the holy aura. She could do nothing but glare at Touji through gritted teeth. Her anger was absolute; she had been used as a hostage to take her beloved King. Touji ignored her gaze and walked toward Cleria.
"Let's go."
"…Can I at least contact my peerage to tell them to look after Luciana?"
"If you do that, they'll know you've been taken by the Church. Are you trying to drag your servants and your lover into a desperate situation?"
Cleria looked back at the injured Luciana. If they found Luciana, they would know the Church had taken her. Devils had high vitality; Luciana wasn't in mortal danger. Her head told her she should follow him in silence to keep the others out of it.
But Cleria shook her head. Her eyes were wet with tears, but they hadn't lost their light. She was terrified. Everything she loved might be destroyed. But she refused to give up on hope.
Touji's words about not being able to trust a Devil cut deep. She wanted to scream, to ask why he couldn't understand, but she held it back. She told herself she would be okay. She couldn't afford to break now. She was the one who had chosen this path, even if the world denied her.
She had promised never to give up on this feeling again. She forced her trembling body to stand, turning her fear into courage.
"…I believe in them. In all of them."
"What?"
Touji stopped, struck by her unwavering resolve. He couldn't understand how she could be this strong. How could she stand there without despair when she was facing a power she couldn't possibly hope to defeat?
"Are you still indulging in fairy tales? Do you really believe Masaomi and your peerage can save you? That they can overcome my comrades and me?"
"It sounds terribly dependent on others, and not very cool at all, I know. But my only real talent is being able to smile and keep going no matter what happens. I will believe until the very end—that everything will work out, and we'll all be able to laugh together."
"Nonsense. That's impossible. It would take a miracle from God... and those don't just happen."
"Then maybe you'll get to see one today. A miracle that would shock even God."
Cleria gave him a radiant smile, and Touji's eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't believe her strength of will. He wanted to call her a fool, but the words wouldn't come. Deep down, he wanted that future too—the one where they could all laugh together.
"It's almost Christmas, after all. Maybe a cute little fairy will bring us a miracle as a present."
"…I have no intention of joining your fairy tale. If you want to send a message, do it. But don't say anything you shouldn't."
"Yes, yes. You're very scary."
Cleria looked at the worried Luciana and smiled, nodding with resolve. Her Queen nodded back, however weakly. She had a job to do.
Cleria sent a short message to her peerage, simply asking them to come to the park. She didn't say anything more, just as Touji had warned. But her servants, who had already been alerted by Kanata, would move immediately. She didn't want to leave her friend out in the cold for too long.
"Oh... I see. No wonder it was getting so cold."
"Snow?"
Cleria reached out as a white flake drifted into her field of vision. She felt its fleeting coldness on her fingertip and looked up at the sky. She wondered how the being beyond that sky was balancing the scales.
A Devil wishing for a miracle. Dreaming of a future where everyone understood one another. She felt guilty for her own powerlessness and the trouble she had caused everyone. She couldn't pray, but she wanted to wish. She wanted to prove that miracles existed, to show this frozen warrior that warmth still remained. She felt that, more than anything, it was what he needed.
The white snow began to fall silently around them, veiling their figures as they walked. The grey, tinged with a hint of white, melted away into the winter landscape.
***
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