In the eyes of many, Kaguya Shinomiya was like an eerie Japanese doll—cold, indifferent, and seemingly devoid of emotion.
However, Leon knew that this "Ice Kaguya" persona was merely a rigid psychological defense mechanism, a mask born to protect her true self. Since her mother passed away shortly after her birth and her father remained utterly indifferent to her, Kaguya yearned for familial affection deep within her heart.
Even though she no longer harbored any expectations for the Shinomiya family, Kaguya still cherished that stone tablet because she believed it was a gift from her father. This alone proved her longing for a family bond.
Because of this, Leon had already decided before arriving in Tokyo that he would approach Kaguya through the lens of family to convince her to hand over the Tablet of Destiny willingly. He decided to help Kaguya find her mother's soul, giving her a chance to see her mother again—or at the very least, speak to her once more—as the bargaining chip for the tablet.
While simply seeing or speaking to her mother might sound straightforward, it was by no means an easy feat to accomplish.
Once the souls of the deceased enter the Underworld, they do not remain in one place; they journey to different realms. There is a specific administrative region in the Underworld responsible for managing souls—the final destination for the departed. Souls from the Human World arrive there first. From there, some are dispatched to the depths of Hell in the lower layers of the Underworld, a place known as the Netherworld. Others go to Limbo or Purgatory, the destinations for devout believers. After purifying their hearts and bodies, those souls are eventually permitted to enter Heaven, leaving the Underworld entirely.
These regions were not places one could enter lightly.
The Netherworld was the domain of the Gods of the Dead. Not only were there many Reapers responsible for harvesting souls, but there was also a God of the Netherworld presiding over it. The Underworld (the Devil's territory) currently maintained a policy of mutual non-interference with them, but both sides viewed each other with mutual distaste. Any unauthorized entry would surely result in being targeted by the Reapers or even the God of the Netherworld himself.
As for Limbo and Purgatory, collectively known as the "Hades" of the Church, they were said to be defined by the God of the Bible based on the Netherworld. In other words, they were the territory of Heaven. Whether it was a Devil or a Fallen Angel, entering those realms would inevitably provoke the wrath of Heaven.
Therefore, although Devils and Fallen Angels resided in the Underworld, the souls they could actually control were quite limited. Most souls eventually headed to the Netherworld or the Church's Hades. Very few souls remained in the Devil's portion of the Underworld, usually due to special circumstances or being held in the administrative transit zone. Finding Kaguya's mother's soul among them was nearly impossible.
Kaguya's mother had been dead for over a decade. Even if she had passed through the Underworld, she likely would have moved on to the Netherworld, Hades, or even Heaven by now. Finding her was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
But precisely because of this difficulty, it was a fair trade. Only by accomplishing something so nearly impossible could Leon take the priceless Tablet of Destiny with a clear conscience.
He was no longer a lone wolf. He had the support of the Phenex family, the Sitri family remained his sponsors, and he could leverage the influence of the Great Satan, Sirzechs. If the Three Great Powers moved toward peace in the future, he believed he could use his influence to have them help locate the soul of a single ordinary human. He doubted they would refuse.
Leon believed that Kaguya, who craved family, would not be able to refuse this deal. Compared to a "treasure" that was merely a memento and utterly unusable, seeing or speaking to a departed loved one was undoubtedly far more precious.
As it turned out, his intuition was correct.
"...Can you really let me see my mother?"
After a very long silence, Kaguya Shinomiya spoke.
"At the very least, I can grant you a conversation with her," Leon promised. "Of course, that will take some time."
"How long?" Kaguya's voice became decisive once she made her choice. "And how can I believe you?"
"I will make it happen within one year," Leon said, looking at her with a smile. "I don't expect you to trust me blindly—after all, I am a Devil. But because I am a Devil, I abide by the principle of a fair trade."
"There's no need for me to lie to you. If I didn't want to go through the trouble, I could have just taken the tablet from you by force. Why bother talking this much?"
"Or do you think I lack the strength to take it from your hands?"
Kaguya fell into another long silence. Leon didn't rush her. Seeing that she had no intention of drinking the tea, he picked up the cup and began to sip it slowly.
Outside the car, the sounds of fire, explosions, and gunfire continued, signaling to both Leon and Kaguya that their servants were still locked in a fierce battle.
Boom!
Following a surge of explosive flames, the luxury limousine finally lost its balance and began to sway violently. In her hesitation, Kaguya was nearly thrown from her seat, but Leon reached out with quick reflexes and pressed her back down.
"It seems the fight outside is nearing its end," Leon said nonchalantly, causing Kaguya's heart to tighten.
She didn't know the status of the battle, but seeing Leon's relaxed demeanor, she feared the victor would not be her maid, but his subordinate.
Indeed, Ai Hayasaka was nearing defeat. Originally, she had been able to hold her own against Ravel using her sophisticated exorcism techniques, but as the battle dragged on, she began to feel drained. Her breathing was ragged, her maid uniform was tattered, and her fair skin was marred with scorch marks. She was forced down to one knee on the roof of the car.
Ravel's attacks were taking their toll on Hayasaka, but Hayasaka's attacks were largely futile against Ravel's immortal physique. Ravel remained uninjured and composed. Consequently, as Hayasaka accumulated damage, she gradually lost her strength, while Ravel remained as vibrant as ever. It wouldn't be long before Ravel officially subdued her. Whether Hayasaka would survive that outcome was uncertain.
Thinking of this, Kaguya Shinomiya hesitated no longer.
"I agree. I will give you the tablet."
Kaguya uttered these words with a sigh. Leon smiled.
"Then, the contract is established."
Ten minutes later, the luxury limousine drove into a Western-style estate and came to a stop before the main entrance.
"Eldest Daughter."
Ai Hayasaka, covered in wounds, helped Kaguya out of the car. When she saw Leon stepping out as well, her face was filled with shock. She had completely failed to notice that someone had slipped into the car and made contact with Kaguya. She had been on the roof, less than a meter away from Kaguya.
This man was dangerous—extremely dangerous. She was absolutely no match for him.
"Are you all right, Hayasaka?" Kaguya looked at her wounded maid, her expression flickering with concern.
This was the first time she had seen Hayasaka looking so battered and miserable. In the past, attackers—even those claiming to be High-Class Devils or high-ranking Fallen Angels—had been dealt with by Hayasaka without her ever sustaining such severe injuries. This realization hit Kaguya hard; for the first time, she understood that her maid was not invincible and could indeed be defeated.
If this attacker hadn't been someone without actual malice—someone who simply wanted an item and approached with the principle of fair trade—the two of them might have been in true peril.
"I'm fine," Hayasaka shook her head. "She didn't intend to kill me."
As she spoke, Hayasaka looked up at the night sky, drawing Kaguya's gaze as well. It was only then that Kaguya saw a beautiful young girl with a pair of fiery wings descending toward them.
"Lord Leon."
Ravel landed beside Leon, retracted her wings, and looked up at him.
"Well done."
Seeing her uninjured, a stark contrast to Hayasaka's state, Leon patted Ravel's head and praised her.
"It... it was nothing special."
Ravel seemed unaccustomed to Leon's physical affection, yet she didn't resist. Instead, she lowered her head shyly, her cheeks flushing. Leon found this amusing. This little tsundere who prized strength and intellect was surprisingly bashful—quite a contrast.
"I see. So he is Ravel Phenex's master," Hayasaka thought, her eyes filled with gravity as she looked at Leon.
"Phenex—"
Kaguya's perception of Leon shifted again. The Phenex family ranked 37th among the 72 Pillars. While their rank wasn't the highest, they were nobility holding the rank of Marquis, only one step below the Duke rank of the Eligos family. However, considering the unique traits of the Phenex family and the current state of the Eligos family, the Phenexes undoubtedly held a higher status in the Devil World.
A daughter of such a family normally had no reason to serve as someone's subordinate. She was more than qualified to lead her own peerage as a "King." Yet, she was serving under Leon. What did that imply?
Kaguya realized Leon's background was even more extraordinary than she had imagined, which made her feel slightly more at ease regarding his promise to find her mother. A Devil of such standing likely wouldn't bother deceiving an ordinary human girl, nor would he promise something he couldn't deliver.
"Go and rest, Hayasaka," Kaguya turned to her maid. "I will handle the rest."
"No," Hayasaka refused without hesitation. "I must stay by your side."
Hayasaka's eyes toward Leon and Ravel were filled with undisguised wariness and caution. She clearly did not dare let her charge be alone with such dangerous individuals. Kaguya wanted to say more, but seeing Hayasaka's resolve, she remained silent and turned to walk into the estate. Hayasaka followed immediately, leaving Leon and Ravel outside.
"Is the deal done?" Ravel whispered.
"Yes, it's settled," Leon nodded.
The two waited for about fifteen minutes before Kaguya and Hayasaka emerged from the building. Hayasaka was still wounded and hadn't even changed her clothes, while Kaguya held an old, worn stone tablet. It immediately captured Leon and Ravel's attention.
"This should be the tablet you want."
Kaguya didn't even look at the tablet in her hands, acting as if it weren't the treasure she had previously cherished. She threw it directly to Leon. Leon caught it and began to examine it.
At first glance, it looked like just an ancient piece of stone, but its surface was etched with numerous stars, exuding a sense of mystery. Though the stars appeared scattered, they contained a hidden pattern. As Leon focused on them, he felt a faint sensation of being pulled into a starry void, witnessing the rise and fall of countless celestial bodies.
"Is this the Tablet of Destiny?" Ravel murmured.
"Most likely."
Leon didn't feel any specific power from the tablet, but the fact that it could trigger a faint vision was enough to confirm it was no ordinary rock. As for its true identity, he would have to wait until he brought it back to the Familiar Forest and handed it to Tiamat for confirmation.
If it was indeed the correct item, Tiamat's commission would be complete. In exchange, he would receive the legendary subordinate that no one had ever successfully reincarnated, further increasing his strength.
"I have given you what you wanted. I hope you keep your promise," Kaguya said in a low voice, drawing Leon's gaze away from the tablet.
"Rest assured. I will give you an answer within a year."
Leon handed the tablet to Ravel and nodded to Kaguya. Then, he expanded a magic circle beneath his feet and initiated a teleportation. Soon, Leon and Ravel vanished from sight, leaving Kaguya and Hayasaka standing in silence.
"Eldest Daughter—" Hayasaka started to speak but stopped.
Kaguya stared blankly at the spot where Leon had vanished. Within her silent heart, a tiny, barely perceptible spark of hope and anxiety began to surface.
"Mother—"
A faint call vanished into the night wind, sounding like a soft lament.
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