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Silence lingered between us.
Not the peaceful kind—
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but the kind that pressed down on the chest, heavy and suffocating.
Koneko stared at me.
Her golden eyes—usually calm, unreadable—were filled with confusion. There was hesitation in her gaze, a faint tremor that betrayed something deeper beneath her usual stoicism.
I saw it.
The way her throat moved slightly—
She swallowed.
Forcing down something she couldn't quite put into words.
"I don't understand…"
Her voice was soft.
Uncertain.
That alone was strange.
"Why don't you talk to Buchou? Surely it would be easier?"
Straightforward.
Logical.
And yet—
completely missing the point.
"Because she doesn't deserve it."
My answer came instantly.
Cold.
Firm.
There was no hesitation in my voice.
Koneko's eyes widened slightly.
Not in fear—
but in shock.
"She tried to manipulate me. Tried to trap me as a slave."
I spoke slowly.
Clearly.
Making sure every word sank in.
"And no matter how kind she would act afterward… it would still be slavery. Still manipulation."
My jaw tightened slightly.
A faint pressure stirred within me.
Anger—
not explosive, but controlled.
Sharp.
"I've been manipulated before. Master or not… Ddraig wouldn't accept that."
At the mention of Ddraig—
Koneko's expression shifted.
Horror.
Subtle—
but unmistakable.
She understood.
Anyone who even remotely knew about the Red Dragon Emperor would understand.
Ddraig was pride incarnate.
A being that would never tolerate such disgrace.
If I had died—
If I had been reborn as a servant—
If he had realized it was all manipulation—
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the consequences would not have been pretty.
I could still remember it.
That pressure.
That suffocating aura.
Even suppressed—
it was overwhelming.
Hatred.
Pure.
Directed entirely at Rias Gremory
Not enough to kill—
but enough to break.
To crush.
To torment.
"I would die…"
I said quietly.
Calmly.
Certain.
"But Rias Gremory would die with me."
There was no arrogance in that statement.
Only fact.
Even in anger—
I would reach her.
Easily.
Koneko stared at me.
Confusion only deepened.
"Then… why?"
Her voice softened further.
Because to her—
none of this made sense.
Why apologize to her—
but not to her master?
"Because…"
I exhaled slowly.
"…I treated you like her."
That was the truth.
The simple, ugly truth.
"When I walked into that room… I saw everyone as the same."
My eyes narrowed slightly as the memory resurfaced.
Cold.
Distorted.
"I saw devils who tried to control my life."
A pause.
A flicker.
Her face—
that moment—
that expression—
"I saw your face."
I closed my eyes briefly.
That look—
pure fear.
Unfiltered.
Unprotected.
"…and I realized I was wrong."
My voice softened.
Not weak—
but honest.
"I was naïve."
I admitted it.
Without hesitation.
"And what I did to you… was wrong."
Silence returned.
But this time—
it wasn't suffocating.
Koneko stared at me.
Blank.
Yet—
different.
The fear—
gone.
Not entirely.
But enough.
Now—
there was curiosity.
"There are also Akeno-fukubuchou… and Kiba."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Why me?"
A fair question.
"Akeno…"
I frowned slightly.
"…feels similar to Rias."
Something about her—
off.
Unsettling.
"I don't like her."
Blunt.
Honest.
"The aura she gives off… it's darker."
Not stronger—
no.
Something else.
"More… obscene."
That was the only word that fit.
A corruption that didn't align cleanly.
Because she wasn't pure.
Not devil.
Not fallen.
But both.
Akeno Himejima
A hybrid.
And that made her presence—
distorted.
Unnatural.
"Light, when it falls… becomes something worse than darkness."
A quiet thought.
One I didn't say aloud.
"As for Kiba…"
I shrugged slightly.
"He doesn't scare easily."
Simple.
Direct.
"No offense."
I glanced at her.
"…but that's because of what you are."
Her eyes widened.
Surprise.
Recognition.
"You're a Youkai."
I could feel it.
Clear as day.
"And quite skilled in Senjutsu."
Her reaction changed instantly.
Paleness.
Not fear of me—
but of something else.
Something deeper.
Something older.
I grimaced.
Damn.
I went too far.
"…for that, I apologize."
Sincerely.
Fully.
This time—
there was no hesitation.
No pride.
Just honesty.
Koneko went silent.
Her blank expression remained—
but inside—
she was shaken.
I could see it.
Anyone would be.
If placed in her position—
I would react the same.
So instead—
I changed the subject.
"I brought something."
I lifted the box slightly.
"A cake."
Her eyes shifted.
Instantly.
"Cake?"
Interest.
Pure.
Undeniable.
"Yes."
I smirked slightly.
"I made it myself."
A pause.
Then—
"I swear it's not poisoned. By Ddraig's name and my status as Sekiryuutei."
That got her attention.
She stared at the box.
Intensely.
Like a predator observing prey.
Slowly—
carefully—
she took it.
Opened it.
Inside—
a perfectly made white cake.
Utensils included.
Ready.
"Gilgamesh-san's cooking is great."
Asia's voice chimed in softly.
Asia Argento
blushed slightly as she spoke.
I puffed my chest a bit.
Naturally.
Of course it was.
I had traveled the world.
Learned from the best.
And—
the Gate of Babylon held only perfection.
Even knowledge.
Even skill.
Koneko took a bite.
And then—
everything changed.
Her eyes widened.
"mmmmMMMMM!"
Her entire body relaxed.
Her lips curved—
a rare smile forming.
Soft.
Genuine.
And then—
a sound escaped her.
A soft—
breathy—
dangerously suggestive sound.
My brain froze.
Because that—
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sounded way too much like something it shouldn't.
I forced myself to stay composed.
Barely.
I was still a guy.
A teenager.
Hormones were real.
Beside me—
Asia turned completely red.
Koneko, however—
remained blissfully unaware.
She swallowed.
Then looked at the cake again—
like it was divine.
Sacred.
Then—
she looked at me.
No fear.
No hesitation.
Only—
desire.
"You have more?"
I blinked.
"…finish that first."
I chuckled.
Cute.
Dangerously cute.
"Done."
"…what?"
I looked down.
The box—
empty.
Completely.
Utterly.
Gone.
My soul left my body.
"…where is it?"
I asked slowly.
Carefully.
"I ate."
Koneko wiped her mouth calmly.
"Koneko."
My tone turned serious.
Grave.
"That cake… was 20 centimeters."
I stared at her.
"How."
"In the name of Satan, Odin, God, Zeus, and Ophis—HOW DID YOU EAT THAT SO FAST?!"
"I ate."
"…THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER!"
I grabbed my head.
This was insanity.
Pure insanity.
I took a deep breath.
Slow.
Controlled.
"…you know what?"
I exhaled.
"For my sanity… let's pretend this never happened."
"OK."
She nodded.
Then—
extended her hand.
Expectation clear.
"More cake?"
I stared at her.
Then nodded.
Equally serious.
"More cake."
A pause.
"…let's go to my house."