"Ah, thank you very much." Apparently, that wasn't all she meant.
I had been observing quietly since I couldn't really join the alcohol conversation, but the discussion was getting seriously lively, and somehow, our kitchen was being taken over by artificial Sacred Gears. Wait, how did our house turn into a workshop for Sacred Gear experiments?! The naming is way too confusing. Who is even naming these things?!
And honestly, maybe my parents had become a little numb to all of this. Between Yasaka-san, Azazel-sensei, Amaterasu, and even meeting Lord Phenex during New Year's greetings in the Underworld, their sense of normal had probably already been completely broken. And right now, the cheerful-looking woman in front of them? She's easily top three among the most dangerous beings in the youkai world. Yeah, my parents have definitely been dragged into the "D×D normalization" effect.
After the conversation settled down, the topic shifted toward Kuroka. "By the way, Kuroka, how's everything on your end?" Kuroka straightened her posture while sitting and bowed slightly before answering. "Yes. Thanks to everyone's support, I was safely reunited with my sister. I am truly grateful that when I had just become a 'stray,' you sheltered me from pursuers."
"Ah, no, no," the old man interrupted. The Nurarihyon showed a teasing expression, similar to the one Azazel-sensei often made when mocking people. "I'll accept the gratitude, but I told you not to be so stiff. What I'm asking is, are you not cooking for your 'boyfriend'?"
Kuroka's shoulders dropped as if all strength left her body. Right, I never actually got a reply about wanting to try Kuroka's cooking. "Th... that's not something you just casually ask about, is it, nya?"
Well, considering this was just a casual gathering, it wasn't out of place. Still, I found myself siding with the Nurarihyon on this one. I respect Kuroka's choice, but I'm allowed to express my hopes, right?
"Kuroka," I said, "how about making my lunch bento for school next time?" It would be awkward to suddenly demand full family meals for breakfast and dinner.
"Me?! Even Ikki, you really want to try my cooking that much, nya?" Of course. Shirone and Ravel's cooking is great too, but I want to experience everything properly.
"If that's the case, Sister, let's finish morning training a bit earlier that day." "We'll accompany you as well, so you don't 'just get away with convenience store food,'" Shirone and Ravel added. Apparently, they were going to supervise her. Kuroka really doesn't have much trust in that department, huh.
"Uuugh, fine, fine! I'll make it properly!"
"Ka-kakaka! For someone as lazy as you to give in so easily, looks like you've been nicely leashed by your man, sister, and family." Kuroka couldn't really argue back against someone like him, so she just turned her face away in protest.
I gently reached out and patted her head. Her silky hair and soft cat ears felt surprisingly pleasant. "Meow?! W-what are you doing, Ikki!"
"Sorry, sorry. It's just rare to see you getting teased instead of doing the teasing." She didn't push my hand away though. Still, I stopped before pushing my luck too far, there's a limit to how far you can go with Kuroka.
After dinner, we left the dishes to my mother and moved to the Japanese-style room inside the house. Our house is absurdly large, and there's even a proper tatami room inside. Honestly, considering it was built by those eccentric Grigori researchers, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a hidden staircase behind a hanging scroll somewhere. But at this point, it's easier not to think about it.
"Now then, it's been a few years, hasn't it, Kuroka." Kuroka sat formally in seiza and bowed her head. "Long time no see, Head. I'm glad to see you well. Shirone, greet him."
"Yes. It is an honor to meet you for the first time. I am Shirone Toujou, younger sister of Kuroka Toujou." Shirone's manners were already polished thanks to her time with the Gremory peerage. It didn't feel out of place at all.
"Hmm, the younger one looks more like her mother. Though Fujimai was a capable practitioner, she wasn't particularly suited for combat despite being a nekomata." So that's their mother's name. Whether she was more of a support-type or simply disliked fighting, it was clear Shirone's close-combat style differed from her.
"Though," the old man added casually, "both sisters ended up falling for the same man." Since the conversation was directed toward me, I also introduced myself along with Ravel. No need to bow too deeply, I suppose. "I'm Arima Ikki. I've been under your care in various ways." I still remember those training days. No-rope bungee jumps. Winter swimming. Being buried in soil. Thrown into mountains. Forced to eat poisonous mushrooms.
"Ravel Phenex. It is an honor to meet the renowned head of the Hyakki Yagyo."
"No need to be so formal. I'm just Nurarihyon, leader of the youkai of East faction." He then casually explained how he had taken Kuroka in after her mother once belonged to his group. Back then, Kuroka had just become a "stray" after killing her master, and both devils and pursuers were after her. For someone at her level, escaping meant constant hiding just to survive. Finding Shirone must have been nearly impossible. Fortunately, Shirone later became part of Rias's peerage.
"So, the reason I'm here, do you know what tomorrow is?"
"Yes. According to Yasaka-san, a meeting between the youkai leaders of West and East, the Three Factions, the noble families, and the gods of Japan." Kokonoe being brought to our home was part of that arrangement too.
"That's right. The topic is peace. Originally, I wasn't interested in peace talks. We weren't exactly enemies, so there wasn't much benefit. But because of those terrorist bastards, even we started suffering damage. So people began saying we should formally accept peace just to avoid falling behind in information and technology." So it's not that peace is especially good, it's that refusing it has become worse.
"Honestly, don't you think it's a ridiculous lineup? Surrounded by gods, devils, and youkai leaders all pushing for peace, poor old me." No, I think you're probably the one doing the intimidating here.
Then he continued. "Thing is, my faction isn't unified. There are those against peace. It's not just stubbornness, we recently got caught up in a mess involving the Himejima family and Sacred Gear users, and we took real damage. So naturally, some of the younger ones don't trust alliances involving your group, D×D."
At that, Shirone stood up sharply. "Lady Akeno is a kind person! She was even expelled from the Himejima family as a child! And you still want to treat her as an enemy?!" The Gremory peerage values their bonds deeply, of course she would react strongly. And honestly, I agreed with her.
Seeing our reaction, Nurarihyon chuckled. "Heh, sharp eyes you've got there. And the little one is right. Your argument is correct. But when something precious gets hurt, people start seeing everything through hatred-colored glasses. Fortunately, most of them still understand things logically, they just can't emotionally accept it yet. That's why they want a place to vent those feelings before peace is finalized."
Then he looked around at us and smirked. "And then Azazel, that former fallen angel general, suggested: 'Let the younger ones beat it out.' So here we are. I decided I'd like to see this so-called D×D for myself." Azazel-sensei, what are you selling us for this time? Still, I could understand the logic. If the leaders simply forced peace, resentment would linger forever.
"Still, was it really okay to tell us this?" I asked.
"Well, ideally I'd observe you without being noticed. But you and Kuroka would've figured me out sooner or later anyway. And I've already heard about you from the old Crom over there." He glanced at us again. "At least from what I've seen, you lot don't seem like the evil type." Well, that's something we'll take, I guess.
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100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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