Emeric waved goodbye to Barakiel one last time. If there was a path to reconciliation, it would have to be a slow, step-by-step process. Akeno, having heard her father's entire comeuppance, had to be in a most unstable state. There was no need to escalate things by confronting father and daughter right here and now. There would be a good time for that yet.
Gently opening the door, Emeric heard the sounds of sobbing and tearful crying. As he expected, Akeno could not remain indifferent in such a situation. She positioned herself on the couch, shrinking into a lump and crying into her knees.
Emeric couldn't take it anymore, so he sat down beside her and pulled the unresisting Akeno to him. She immediately clung to him and cried into his jacket with renewed vigor as Emeric stroked her back soothingly.
«Well, well... - Emeric started saying all sorts of soothing platitudes. The important thing is to let her know he's there for her. - It's gonna be okay.
Akeno was special to him, just like any other girl in the retinue. He had never sought a complete retinue, he just wanted people he could spend his life with in peace.
Valerie was fierce but gentle. Always ready to rush into battle at his command.
Ichika was rambunctious, but with pleasant surprises. Ichika seemed to have a lot of potential in this seemingly simple girl.
And Akeno was supportive and affectionate. Perhaps her upbringing or mindset gave her the characteristics of the "ideal Japanese wife".
Yeah, let's be honest, Akeno's never going to be an amazing fighter. No, he could take down all sorts of scum in a heartbeat, but compared to him and the two Sky Dragons, it wasn't much. The bar was too high for them. But she also realized that, so she had taken on other responsibilities, especially lately. For example, all the household chores and paperwork, the sort of all-purpose administrator that would come in handy in any large household. Not forgetting the occasional business from the city grounds, communication efforts with Sona, and general inspection of the city. Necessary work that Emeric, Valerie and Ichika didn't pay attention to. Because they had Akeno to rely on at all times. Naturally, that wasn't his 'favorite' trait about his fallen angel.
Akeno was always there and tacitly supported Emerick's every decision. She would serve tea or give him a massage without asking for anything in return. Simply because she was already taking on the role of his support. The same one that helps him abstract himself from the overly stressful present. With Akeno, it was possible to forget about the hustle and bustle and just humanly relax.
Emeric kissed the top of her head as gently as he could. The sobbing had almost stopped, but occasionally the remnants of hysteria came back.
«My angel... - Emeric began to whisper in her ear. This, coupled with the complete absence of other witnesses, gave the impression of a mystery, something private only to them. - It saddens me to see your heartbreak....
Akeno didn't answer, only pressed herself even harder into him.
Emeric had to admit his mistake. The ever-calm Akeno sometimes made him forget her internal problems. And she had a lot of them, Emeric would even say she had put together a real combo.
The first problem is, of course, the loss of a mother at a young age. It is impossible to imagine the grief of a little girl who saw her mother murdered in front of her eyes. The most beloved person in your little world, practically the center of the universe, was taken from her. It's not for nothing that the loss of parents is one of the most popular "origins" of heroes. Such events divide life into "before" and "after". Simply because after such a tragedy, your whole world changes. Some sign of the inevitability of fate. No wonder Akeno still can't forget that fateful day.
The second problem arises from the first. "Fathers and children", the eternal conflict between generations. Of course, in this case the conflict between Barakiel and Akeno takes on a slightly different tone, but the resentment remains. Their common grief has not brought them together, but rather divided them.
Deep down, of course, Akeno realized that Barakiel loved both her and Shuri, but...
The tragedy was too strong in those memories.
«Your father loves you... - Akeno shook her head a little, showing the unnecessarity of this topic, but Emeric insisted. - Akeno, your mother's leaving is undoubtedly terrible, but... - He squeezed her a little tighter in his arms. - We have to move on. You can see that your father blames himself as much as you do... But," Emeric gently lifted her head and met her crying eyes. - For your mother's sake, one must move on... She wouldn't want her two favorite people, her family, not to communicate with each other...
Akeno cried with renewed vigor and pressed herself back into his arms.
«Ma-ama... - Akeno, as a child, began to call her in distress. - My mom.
Emeric with a sigh just hugged her tighter. His heart ached to see his bishop in such a terrible state of mind, but what could he do...?
Actually, there was something he could have done.....
There should have been no casualties at all in that conflict. The original intention of the Himejima clan was to bring Shuri back to her ancestral home. But the general rejection of the "outsiders," the fierce resistance of Shuri herself, and the orders of Suo Himejima, Shuri's uncle, forced the attackers to use force. One unpleasantness after another, and we get this result.
Barakiel killed the attackers with extreme cruelty, but it went no further. Azazel had to intervene there, needing to contain his subordinate's grief so as not to start a war with Shinto. Of course, those too had to compromise and execute several higher ranking members, but... What about those who issued such an order...?
It was this reticence that was one of the reasons why Akeno's grief could not subside slightly. The grievance was not completely closed.
With every second of thought, a plan of retaliation began to form in his mind. It was risky, they didn't need another international conflict, but... Emeric didn't care. He would put a stop to this incident so that Akeno's peace of mind would return to normal. And he even had some great tools.
But first, the whereabouts of Suo Himejima, the main culprit of the incident, had to be discovered. He may not have wanted his niece dead, but what he had done could never be undone.
Suo Himejima will die.
Emeric closed his eyes and concentrated on Wisdom. It was far from fully "healed", but a sincere wish, backed by Akeno's tears, should.... Bingo! It gave away his location at once! One of the estates of this Japanese clan.
But now there was another problem.... How can he, a topographical cretin of the highest rank, get to a place whose name he can't even immediately remember? And no one should be involved in this task! This operation must take place in secret from almost everyone!
«My angel... - When she slowly looked up, Emeric kissed her forehead and his bishop immediately fell asleep. A light spell to soothe and sleep. By the time she woke up, he should be back.
Emeric retrieved from his subspace the cherished item that was his key to successfully infiltrating and "delivering himself without getting lost in another country."
Solomon's mask...
«Well," said a bewildered Emeric, twirling it in the air. - How can I use you...?
*****
«Hello...
«Ooh, fucking beautiful!
The ordinary Japanese schoolboy with glasses began to scream as the golden mask in Emeric's hands began to suck him into itself. He seemed to dissolve into pieces, and as a phantom was quickly absorbed into the golden artifact.
The most surprising thing was that Emeric felt some resistance! And the difference between him and this nameless victim was enormous! I mean, there was still some sort of threshold of 'entry' or condition, like you had to knock him out first.
«Well, - Emeric carefully put the mask on himself. - Let's go!
A flash of golden light illuminated the space of the deserted school corridor.
Now there was no Emeric, only Motohama.
«Ooh! Fucking pretty boy dared to use King Solomon's artifact on me! - Motohama clenched his fist in anger and waved it in the air. - But that's alright, with these powers, no women's locker room will be an obstacle for me! Shi-sichiki! Ouch! - With a clenched fist, he punched himself in the face. - Damn! This is so hard! Tz...
Solomon's mask was a unique artifact for a reason, aimed at fully adapting to the "victim". At first Emeric couldn't get himself under control in any way. Perverted thoughts and impulses almost took over! And Motohama was just an ordinary schoolboy! How difficult was it to subdue Azazel! Though he already knew how Kokabiel had done it. He had absorbed the knocked out and weakened Azazel, and using his weakness at first, had fully adapted and taken total control.
«Motohama! - A familiar, angry voice called out to him. - Why aren't you in class?
A meter away, he was met with a familiar gaze full of reproach. No, Sona's gaze wasn't usually reproachful. Motohama, on the other hand, was looked at by Sona like a garbage bug. He even got excited!....
Shit! What a shitty body he chose! But there wasn't much of a choice in Kuo, and he doesn't want to turn into a girl.
But still! Motohama was a treasure trove of fetishes and complexes! Although he had some peculiarities too....
«Seventy-seven, fifty-seven, eighty-three..... - He fixed his glasses in one cool motion. Well, at least it seemed cool before, but it was actually creepy. - Just my type!
«You... - Sona opened her eyes in shock at such insolence, but immediately her eyes narrowed in anger. - Motohama, you have no nerve at all! One week! You'll be on detention for a week!
«Pfft," he snorted dismissively. - I'm not impressed...
«A month," she gritted through her teeth. - And the parents have school tomorrow!
«Sona-kaicho, don't you know? - He walked calmly to the window and opened it wide. - My parents died on the distant planet of Krypton. All they could do was send me to that planet to bring justice. - Motohama folded his arms across his chest and soared above the ground like a twilight man. - Infinity is not the limit!
And flew away at supersonic speed somewhere in the distance, barely holding back his hysterical laughter. The picture of Sona, who couldn't keep her jaw set in shock, would warm his soul for a long time to come. Yes, Motohama's impulses had often gotten the better of him, but the essence remained the same.
A prank on his neighbor Emeric will never forget!
***
patreon.com/posts/124888009