"What nonsense!" I have body cleanses from potions today so "Stoicin" washed out of my system and I just couldn't hold back a comment.
Generally when I have cleanses, emotions hit me, but there's nobody to talk to since it's dangerous—I could get caught in two seconds!
"What? Why nonsense, Lord Ren?" Miranda heard my statement and her eyes lit up with curiosity.
"Hm..." And I thought.
Too bad right now I'm not thinking very rationally, emotions were egging me on to share my thoughts, especially since Miranda not only owes me VERY much but knows how to keep her mouth shut.
I checked the latter by leaking non-critical information to her with orders—nobody!
And the info really didn't go further than her.
So the desire to speak out and generally talk more or less freely with someone became unbearable, and I gave in!
Especially since I think Miranda will understand herself that sharing SUCH reflections is dangerous for life and health... her life and health, I might survive this, but she's not guaranteed.
"...well look—Himejima Clan somehow found and gave certain enemies the location where the fallen angel and Akeno's mother lived. But then for some reason they took Akeno in and she lived with them for some time, and suddenly out of nowhere madness took over to get rid of 'family disgrace'. But for some reason they didn't quietly smother her in her sleep with a pillow or a thousand other methods available to adult mages killing a child who can't do anything—they decided to notify her of their desire to kill her a week in advance by letter and didn't prevent her escape at all."
"0_0..." Miranda was flabbergasted since it really sounded absurd.
"But let's say she had sympathizers in the clan who warned her and helped her escape and covered her escape. But then... a ten-year-old girl alone on the street for a year and a half while hiding from an entire influential clan? Either Akeno is a master of stealth and disguise, or her clan has blind, deaf, legless idiots, or her clan's influence doesn't extend beyond their front gate. But again, let's say by some miracle she managed to hide from an entire clan for a year and a half. But to accept that exactly when she helped someone from Gremory, specifically a Lucifer piece, she was caught and instead of quickly slitting her throat they started pontificating about how nobody needs her and she's unworthy of life, Rias Gremory appeared and they agreed to her demands—I can't anymore! This is TOO good to be true!"
"But why?"
"Because how often did Lady Rias go on walks to the human world with Lucifer-sama's pieces before this?"
"Hm..." Miranda thought. "...I don't remember such a thing... this was the first time... probably? But then..."
"Yeah! The meeting wasn't accidental! I think Himejima Clan didn't give a damn about Akeno all those year and a half of wandering since the clan's territory is probably no bigger than one town, maybe a prefecture if we're really dreaming big. But she attracted demons' attention... and they made a deal with her clan so they'd 'find' her at the right time in the right place, tell her she'll have no life, and accept conditions from a ten-year-old demoness. And the conditions themselves... not appear on clan territory? Again, what's their territory? The whole human world or what? And always be with Rias Gremory... honestly it really looks like a purchase and sounds like—leave me and you die!"
"But surely Rias-sama..."
"No, I think they brought her there under the guise of a walk, and when she wanted to help and save, they advised what needs to be done and said for this. Double profit—got a future strong piece and added confidence to the heiress!"
Of course, I could be wrong and all this really is a happy coincidence where the presence of Lucifer-sama's piece only added weight to Rias Gremory-sama's proposal, and there was no hidden agenda.
"Yes-yes, most likely that's how it is!" Miranda was one of those who believed in the best, or for her the idea that such a beautiful story could turn out to be a banal game of aristocrats is so unacceptable.
"Time will tell!" I gave with a smirk full of superiority.
"Time?"
"Yeah. I think Rias Gremory-sama will find one more candidate for her pieces during a 'spontaneous' walk to the human world accompanied by someone from Lucifer-sama's pieces. But no more, after all once is a happy accident, twice is coincidence, and three times is already statistics that loyal and grateful servants might notice and think—should they be grateful? Isn't the situation they were saved from the result of demons' doings?"
"No-no-no... that can't be! Lucifer-sama would never... even for Lady Rias's sake wouldn't kill a child's mother to make them a piece for his beloved sister!"
"And I didn't say this is Lucifer-sama's doing. There are many other factions whom the fallen angel who's Akeno's father spilled a lot of blood for. The old maous, having received information from Himejima Clan, could arrange something like this. The question is when did Lucifer-sama learn about this?! I assume already after the tragedy happened, and also learning that the father isn't rushing to take his daughter and the clan on the mother's side considers her a disgrace, he made a deal with the latter. They first announced they'd kill her, let her escape, and staged a 'hunt' whose finale was transferring Akeno into the caring hands of Rias Gremory-sama."
"Ohhh..." Miranda went quiet, her mind racing through the implications.
Demons here are really too nice, at least the youngsters and non-aristocrats—the latter more pretend to be nice.
No, the information that Gremory treats servants like family is true!
But that same Venelana was originally Bael, and her attitude toward servants is completely different, which is why that same Miranda is so grateful to me for taking the blame.
And after WHAT punishment I got... slept on my stomach for two weeks, then cleaned my system because I overdid it with "Screwittol"... she practically started worshipping me!
And honestly my reputation among servants is at a very high level, and guards look respectfully—I test new developments after all, and I physically train simply because I wrote workouts into my schedule, and under "Stoicin" I don't give a damn about all sorts of distracting factors and laziness—there's a schedule and plan, which means it must be followed!
"...and I thought you avoid Akeno-chan because she's a fallen angel and fallen angels killed your mother and almost killed you... OH!"
Miranda thought so deeply she said aloud what shouldn't have been.
More precisely, shouldn't have been said to someone who doesn't give a damn!
And I don't give a damn about Ren's mother even without "Stoicin".