Kokabiel's POV
The atmosphere in the Underworld had shifted from chaotic battlefield to tense political meeting in the span of an hour.
The remaining New Devil faction forces had regrouped at a safe distance during the fighting, and now their leadership was approaching our position with varying degrees of caution and relief.
Sirzechs Lucifer led the group despite being injured, his crimson hair and distinctive aura marking him clearly even from a distance. Beside him walked Ajuka Beelzebub, still bandaged from his earlier injuries but moving with determined purpose. Serafall Leviathan bounced along with them, her magical girl outfit somehow still pristine despite the chaos. Falbium dragged along lazily but tense.
Behind them came various other high-ranking devils, clan heads, and military commanders—all looking exhausted, relieved, and more than a little wary of us.
"Lord Michael, Lord Kokabiel, Lord Azrael," Sirzechs greeted us with a deep, respectful bow. "On behalf of the entire Underworld, I thank you for your intervention. Without your help, we would have..."
He trailed off, clearly imagining how badly things could have gone.
Michael smiled warmly. "There's no need for such formality, Sirzechs. We merely did what was necessary to maintain stability. The Old Satan faction's actions threatened more than just the Underworld, they risked destabilizing the entire supernatural world."
Ajuka stepped forward, his analytical mind clearly already working through implications. "The dimensional breach alone could have been catastrophic. That cultivator's presence was actively degrading reality itself. My brother said another week and the damage would have been irreversible."
I nodded. "Which brings us to an important point we need to discuss."
The devils all tensed slightly at my tone.
"Due to your faction's clear lack of control over your own territory," I said bluntly, "Heaven will be sending a representative every year—at any time, without prior notice—to check on the situation here in the Underworld. To ensure nothing like this happens again."
The silence that followed was uncomfortable.
Sirzechs's expression remained diplomatic, but I could see the muscles in his jaw tighten. "Lord Kokabiel, while I appreciate your concern, I don't believe such measures are necessary. This was an unprecedented situation. We had no way of knowing—"
"No," Michael cut him off gently but firmly. "The events that occurred today are proof that such measures are absolutely necessary. An entire rebel faction operated under your noses for decades. They summoned a being from another reality. They captured and imprisoned the Infinity Dragon. They nearly destroyed your entire civilization."
He let that sink in before continuing. "Heaven isn't trying to subjugate the Underworld or interfere with your autonomy. But we cannot allow such threats to develop unchecked. The representative will simply observe and report. Nothing more, unless another crisis emerges."
I looked at Michael impressed. It seems my gentle older brother has learned to become stern when it is needed.
Ajuka looked like he wanted to argue the logic, but he couldn't. The facts were damning.
Before the conversation could grow more tense, Serafall suddenly perked up, her eyes fixing on me with laser focus.
"Kokabiel-sama!" She bounced forward excitedly. "Have you ever seen magical girls during your travels? Like, real magical girls? With transformation sequences and special attacks and cute outfits?"
I blinked at the complete non-sequitur. "I... what?"
"Magical girls!" She repeated with even more enthusiasm. "You can travel to other worlds, right? You must have seen them!"
Before I could formulate a response, Ritsuka chimed in from beside me. "Actually, in my world there are magical girls. Well, sort of. We have magical girl-style Servants, and there's a mystic code system developed by Zeltrech—a powerful magician—that allows for transformation-based combat enhancement."
Serafall's eyes went so wide I thought they might fall out of her head.
"REALLY?!" She grabbed Ritsuka's hands with both of hers. "You have to tell me everything! What kind of transformations? What colors? Do they have theme songs? Are there team poses?"
"Well, the most famous one is probably—"
"No, wait! You have to come to my house right now and explain everything properly!" Serafall was already dragging Ritsuka away. "I have so many questions! Do you have pictures? Videos? Can you show me the transformation sequences?"
"Wait, Serafall-san, I still need to—"
"No time! Magical girl emergency!" And just like that, the Satan of Foreign Affairs vanished with my guest, leaving a trail of sparkles behind them.
I stood there, somewhat stunned. "Did she just... kidnap Ritsuka?"
Michael chuckled. "I believe she did, yes."
Ajuka coughed awkwardly. "My apologies for Serafall. When it comes to magical girls, she becomes... singularly focused."
"I noticed," I said dryly.
Ajuka's expression shifted to something more professional and excited. "Actually, Lord Kokabiel, if you have time, I'd very much like to discuss something with you. I've recently started developing a new defensive formation called the Kankara system. It's designed to create large-scale barriers using mathematical principles and—"
"The geometric progression model?" I interrupted, immediately understanding where he was going. "Using multiple smaller barriers in a fractal pattern to create cumulative defensive strength?"
Ajuka's eyes lit up. "Exactly! But I'm running into efficiency problems with the power distribution. The outer barriers are too weak while the inner ones are overcharged."
I considered for a moment. "You're treating it like a uniform power grid. Instead, inverse the flow. Make the outer barriers feed power inward to the core, then have the core redistribute based on where damage occurs. Like a circulatory system rather than a circuit."
Ajuka pulled out a notebook so fast I barely saw him move. "Of course! That would allow for dynamic response to threats and prevent power waste. And if I add a feedback loop to measure barrier integrity—"
"You could have it automatically strengthen weak points while pulling power from unengaged sections," I finished.
"Brilliant!" Ajuka was scribbling frantically. "Lord Kokabiel, would you be willing to come to my lab? I have prototypes set up and your insights could save me months of trial and error."
I glanced at Michael, who nodded his permission. "Sure, I don't mind. Lead the way."
As Ajuka practically dragged me off to discuss magical mathematics, I noticed Sirzechs and Falbium standing awkwardly with Michael and Azrael.
Sirzechs cleared his throat. "So... Lord Michael. How has Heaven been? Administrative work going well?"
"Yes, quite well, thank you," Michael replied politely. "And the Underworld's reconstruction after the civil war? Progressing smoothly?"
"Oh yes, very smoothly. Mostly. When we're not dealing with rebellion."
"Right. Yes. Rebellion."
Awkward silence.
Falbium tried next. "Lord Azrael, I heard you've been... reaping souls? That must be... fulfilling?"
Azrael looked at him flatly. "It's work."
"Ah. Yes. Work. Very important."
More awkward silence.
This was painful to watch even from a distance.
****
Several hours later, after Ajuka and I had made significant progress on his barrier system, the matter of Grayfia came up during the general discussion with all the faction leaders present.
Sirzechs looked uncomfortable. "About Grayfia Lucifuge. Given her involvement with the Old Satan faction we hoped to use her as a bridge to ease the tensions between us. The political situation is too unstable. Her very presence could inspire sympathizers to rally if she's not on our side."
"We understand," Michael said gently. "Which is why Kokabiel has offered to take her into his peerage. Convert her into an angel."
The room went silent.
"Convert her?" Falbium repeated slowly. "Into an angel? That's... possible?"
"Kokabiel's Angelic pieces are more advanced than our Evil pieces," Ajuka said quietly, his analytical mind clearly running through the implications. "Theoretically, I always suspected such conversion was possible, but to actually do it..."
Sirzechs looked torn. "Grayfia is one of our strongest female devils and from a well reputed noble clan. To lose her to Heaven—"
"You already lost her the moment the Old Satan faction took her," I interrupted bluntly. "She has no place in the Underworld anymore. Her family is dead, her faction destroyed, and keeping her here would only cause problems for everyone. She is probably not in the mood to be a diplomatic ambassador. This way, she gets a fresh start, and you avoid a political nightmare."
He couldn't argue with that logic, even though I could tell he wanted to.
"Very well," Sirzechs finally agreed reluctantly. "If Grayfia consents, we won't object to the conversion."
I nodded. "Her decision lies solely with her. I won't force her."
****
Meanwhile, in another part of Heaven's temporary medical facilities, Kazuma had woken up.
He groggily sat up on the cot, wincing at the lingering soreness in his body despite the healing potions. His eyes focused and immediately widened.
Grayfia stood near the entrance of the room, having been assigned to check on him.
"You're awake," she said coolly. "How do you feel?"
"I—uh—good! Great! Fantastic!" Kazuma stammered, his usual confidence completely gone. "Thanks for asking! You're very kind! Beautiful! I mean—not that beauty matters! Personality is important too! Which you also have! Probably! I assume!"
Grayfia raised an eyebrow.
Kazuma was internally screaming. 'This is Grayfia Lucifuge! One of my favorite waifus! She's actually real! And I'm talking to her! Say something cool! Be smooth!'
Out loud: "So... you're good at ice magic, huh? That's... cold. I mean cool! It's cool! The magic is cold! But cool! Both!"
Grayfia's expression didn't change, but something flickered in her eyes that might have been amusement.
"Yes, I am proficient in it. Your fighting style was interesting," she said after a moment. "Using spatial manipulation with that level of control while injured. Where did you learn such techniques?"
"Oh, that? That was nothing!" Kazuma laughed nervously. "Just, you know, trained really hard! Pushed myself! Almost died multiple times! It's fine though! Death builds character! Probably!"
"I see. You are quite different from your appearance it seems. Such strength is impressive for a human without a sacred gear." Grayfia said simply.
Awkward silence descended.
Kazuma desperately searched for something to say. "So... do you like... being a devil? Is that fun? Do you have hobbies besides fighting? Do you like... tea? I like tea! Well, I like not dying more, but tea is good too!"
Grayfia tilted her head slightly. "Are you always this nervous around women?"
"What? No! I'm totally smooth! Super confident! I definitely don't have any issues with attractive women making me forget how to form coherent sentences!"
She almost smiled. It was rather amusing to see this human squirm. She didn't know why but she wanted to watch more of it.
They continued talking—or rather, Kazuma continued rambling while Grayfia occasionally responded. It was objectively terrible conversation, but something about Kazuma's complete lack of artifice seemed to put Grayfia at ease.
When Kokabiel finally called them to prepare for the trip back to Heaven, Grayfia stood to leave.
At the doorway, she paused and turned back.
For the first time since Kazuma had met her, she smiled. Not a political smile or a professional smile. A real one.
"This was the most real and free conversation I've had with someone in a very long time," she said softly. "Thank you."
Then she was gone.
Kazuma stood there, frozen, processing what just happened.
Then he internally celebrated like he'd just won the lottery. 'YES! She smiled! At me! My conversation skills and charm must not be that bad after all! This is my springtime of youth!' He wiped a tear. "Mom. Dad. Your son has finally grown up!"
[Author note: Dude, Grayfia had just enjoyed talking to someone who treated her like a normal person rather than the "Strongest Queen" or "Old Satan Faction Remnant." Low standards for the win, eh?]
****
Grayfia was informed about Heaven's offer shortly after.
We gathered in a private meeting room—just her, me, Michael, Azrael, and Sirzechs.
"You have two options. You can stay in the underworld and act as a bridge between the two factions. Or, You'll become one of Kokabiel's peerage members," Michael explained gently. "The process will transform you from devil to angel. It will be painful, but you'll emerge stronger and with a completely fresh start."
Grayfia listened quietly, her expression neutral.
"I understand," she said finally. "I accept."
Sirzechs sighed in resignation. For some reason, he felt something important was stolen from him. He shook his head to clear the thought.
"You don't want time to think about it?" I asked. "This is permanent. There's no going back."
"There's nothing to go back to," she replied simply. "My brother made his choice. Now I make mine. And being the direct subordinate to the strongest being in the world is... appealing. I respect strength."
She paused, a flicker of emotion crossing her face. "I am sad about Euclid. But he chose his path, and I must choose mine. I cannot live in the past forever."
Azrael nodded approvingly. "That's a healthy attitude."
Michael smiled. "Then welcome to Heaven, Grayfia Lucifuge. Soon to be Grayfia the Angel."
****
After all the political discussions concluded, Ritsuka returned from her extensive magical girl discussion with Serafall—looking somewhat overwhelmed but happy—and we prepared to take them on a proper tour of Heaven.
Kazuma, who'd been resting, was finally cleared to walk around.
"Alright!" He pumped his fist. "Time to see actual Heaven! I promise I'll be on my best behavior! No perverted thoughts! No inappropriate comments! I'm a changed man!"
This lasted approximately three minutes.
We entered Heaven's main courtyard where Gabriel, Raphael, and Penemue were waiting to greet us.
Gabriel smiled brightly. "Welcome back brothers! You must be Kokabiel's friends! It's so wonderful to finally meet you! Welcome to Heaven! "
Raphael nodded politely. "We've never heard much about our brothers friends. He is usually a loner. It's great he is making friends"
Penemue smiled seductively. "Indeed. We're very interested in anyone who can keep up with Kokabiel-sama."
Kazuma took one look at the three of them and immediately got a nosebleed.
"Are you alright?" Gabriel rushed over with genuine concern, not realizing this made it worse. "You're bleeding! Did you injure yourself? Let me heal you!"
She leaned in close to examine him.
Kazuma's eyes went wide. His face turned bright red. Blood poured from his nose.
"So this is... Heaven..." he mumbled before passing out completely.
I sighed deeply. "Grayfia, please take him to one of the healing chambers."
Grayfia's expression was completely cold as she walked over, grabbed Kazuma by the ankle, and proceeded to drag him across the floor like a sack of potatoes.
"Wait, shouldn't we be more gentle—" Gabriel started.
"He's fine," Grayfia said flatly.
She reached the healing chamber and literally threw him inside like tossing a pillow onto a bed.
THUD.
"Ow..." came Kazuma's weak voice from inside.
Grayfia turned and walked back without a word, her face still completely expressionless.
"She's terrifying," Raphael muttered.
"I like her," Penemue said with approval.
We reconvened in Heaven's main hall for Grayfia's official conversion ceremony while Kazuma was being healed.
Angels had gathered from all corners—curious, skeptical, uncertain. A devil becoming an angel was unprecedented in recent history.
But they trusted me absolutely. If I said this was right, they would support it. My guardian angel corps were the most excited to gain a new member.
I stood at the center of the hall, Grayfia kneeling before me. The Angelic pieces floated in the air between us—eight Pawns, one Knight, two Rooks and two Bishops.
The Bishop piece began to glow, resonating with Grayfia's essence.
I spoke softly, but my voice carried through the hall. "Do you, Grayfia Lucifuge, of your own will, take me, Kokabiel, as your rightful King and master? Do you swear loyalty and obedience, till death do us part?"
Azrael snickered. "He is literally saying marriage vows." Michael gave him a look but I could see him smiling as well.
Grayfia kneeled formally, her voice solemn and clear. "I, Grayfia Lucifuge, by my own will, forsake my past and swear my utmost loyalty to you. I swear to obey your commands, to serve faithfully, till death do us part."
At her declaration, the Bishop piece floated forward and merged with her chest, vanishing into her body.
Blinding light erupted, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
When it faded slightly, we saw Grayfia crying out in pain as her demonic origins were being literally burned away by holy energy.
"Are you alright?" I asked with genuine concern. "We can stop if—"
"I can endure it," Grayfia gritted out through clenched teeth. "I will endure it. I'm not weak."
Her ten devil wings materialized behind her—black, leathery, demonic. Then they began to burn, turning to ash that scattered in a wind that shouldn't exist indoors.
And then, one by one, new wings appeared. They were pure white, angelic.
Two pairs. Four pairs. Then six pairs.
Twelve magnificent wings spread behind her, and her hair shifted from silver to silver-white, her aura transforming from demonic to holy.
Gabriel cheered loudly. "We have another Archangel-level angel in Heaven! This is amazing!"
Raphael was muttering in disbelief. "How is this possible? The power increase and her body's natural demonic essence alone should have destroyed her during transformation. But she's not just surviving, she has grown even stronger. What kind of pieces did you create, Kokabiel?"
I chuckled lightly. "Sometimes my genius frightens me."
Raphel clicked her tongue. "Show off."
Michael smiled warmly and stepped forward. "Welcome officially to Heaven, Grayfia. May you find the peace here that you couldn't find elsewhere."
Azrael casually tossed her a beautifully crafted magical staff. "Welcome gift. It channels ice magic particularly well. Figured you'd appreciate it. Unlike my impolite brothers, I prepared something to welcome our new member."
Grayfia caught it and examined it with genuine appreciation. She bowed deeply. "Thank you. All of you. I will strive to to defend heaven with all I have."
Then she was suddenly surrounded by the Guardian Angel Corps, my personal division led by Sariel.
Sariel had actual tears in his eyes. "We gained a new member after so long! Welcome, sister!"
Tsadkiel pushed forward eagerly. "How good are you with paperwork? Please tell me you're good with paperwork!"
Grayfia looked slightly overwhelmed but answered. "I have extensive experience with administrative work, yes."
Tsadkiel grabbed her hands with tears of absolute joy streaming down his face. "I'M FINALLY FREE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND? FREE! Kokabiel-sama is rarely present to do any paperwork, so I've been responsible for EVERYTHING! But now you're here! SALVATION HAS ARRIVED!"
"I... see," Grayfia said, not quite sure how to respond to this level of emotional intensity.
The other female Guardian Angels crowded around, welcoming her with varying degrees of enthusiasm and relief.
****
After the ceremony concluded, a celebration was thrown in Grayfia's honor.
It had been a while since Heaven had celebrated the arrival of a new angel, and everyone was in high spirits.
Then, unexpectedly, we had a surprise guest.
A portal opened, and Shiva stepped through—the Hindu God of Destruction, looking relaxed and casual.
"Hope I'm not intruding," he said with a grin. "Didn't know there was a party."
Michael immediately smiled and gestured welcomingly. "Lord Shiva! Not at all! Please, join us!"
"Don't mind if I do," Shiva laughed, accepting a drink from a passing angel.
As the party started properly, everyone began enjoying themselves.
Ritsuka was chatting animatedly with Raphael and Gabriel, asking questions about Heaven's prayer systems and how the divine hierarchy functioned.
"Kokabiel used to be much less serious," Gabriel was saying. "Before everything happened, before Father died and he had to take on so much responsibility. He smiled more easily back then."
"What changed?" Ritsuka asked.
"War," Raphael said simply. "Loss. The weight of protecting everything. It changes people. He blamed himself for not preventing the death of our siblings, and our father. Michael told us later about everything."
Ritsuka looked towards Kokabiel who was across the room. "Kokabiel san never really shows it. He is always the kind and reliable figure everyones looks up to."
Gabriel smiled. "Right? My brother is the best!"
Raphael remarked dryly. "Of course you think so. He spoils you the most."
Kazuma was eating and drinking while occasionally glancing at Grayfia, who was doing exactly the same when he wasn't looking. She seemed slightly annoyed for reasons she couldn't quite articulate.
I was talking with Shiva about recent faction developments when Michael and Azrael stumbled over to us, completely drunk and holding a karaoke microphone I'd introduced to Heaven days ago. It had apparently become a prized entertainment system for angels. But with great great inventions, comes greater risks. Which we were witnessing.
They began singing—badly, off-tune, but with tremendous enthusiasm.
"YOU ARE~ MY FIRE~" Michael belted out.
"THE ONE~ DESIRE~" Azrael continued.
"BELIEVE~ WHEN I SAY~" They sang together, completely out of sync.
"I WANT IT THAT WAY~"
Shiva nearly spit out his drink laughing. "What is that device? It's incredible!"
"Karaoke machine," I explained. "Helps angels relax. I'll get you one for Swarga if you want."
"Please do," Shiva wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. "This is amazing."
As the party slowly wound down, Shiva pulled me aside to a quiet corner.
His expression became serious. "I actually came to warn you about something. Indra is probably going to make a move soon. He's been gathering resources, making alliances—"
"It's already been dealt with," I interrupted calmly.
Shiva blinked. "What?"
"I knew it was Indra who arranged for that artifact to fall into Rizevim's hands. I've been keeping an eye on him for a while. Today's events were partially his doing. He didn't join in because he wasn't certain of my return. I guess the trauma never healed."
Shiva clenched his fist in anger. "That bastard! Trying to destroy this hard-fought peace we've built! When I get back to Swarga, I'm going to—"
"You value the current peace?" I asked, genuinely surprised. "I thought you'd resent me for forcing all the factions to cooperate. For ending the Age of Conflict and stop any expansion."
Shiva laughed, the sound genuine. "I might be the Destroyer, Kokabiel, but even I value peace when it's good for all. There hasn't been a major war in decades. No schemes to be constantly wary of. No betrayals every week. It's made things easier for everyone."
He took another drink. "All the pantheons, even the Greeks, are grateful to you even though most won't admit it publicly. You brought stability. That's worth more than people realize."
He paused, then whispered conspiratorially. "Speaking of stability, I heard an interesting rumor. Is it true that Lady Athena proposed a marriage alliance with Heaven?"
I looked amused. "Even the God of Destruction is prone to gossip now?"
Shiva laughed sheepishly. "I'm just curious! Inquiring minds want to know!"
I chuckled. "Such a formal proposal never occurred. Though Athena did suggest something more... direct. She asked to share my essence to create a child. A more direct genetic collaboration."
Shiva spit out his drink. "WHAT?!"
"I'm joking," I said with a straight face. He didn't need need to know it was in fact true. Athena... she scares me sometimes.
Shiva stared at me for a long moment, then sighed. "I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it were true. Even Urvashi and Tilottama—the most beautiful apsaras in all of Swarga, openly admire you, and they've only seen you once. That was when you threw Indra to mount Meru and declared your threat.
I don't understand how they can get charmed by someone threating to end their pantheon!"
"My apologies for the competition," I replied nonchalantly.
Shiva raised both hands defensively. "No competition here! I'm happily married! Parvati would destroy me if I even thought about looking elsewhere!"
I chuckled. "Nice to know even someone like you is scared of your wife."
We both laughed and watched the party as it slowly died down. It was a good day.
****
The next day, I took Ritsuka and Kazuma to see medieval Earth, with Grayfia following dutifully despite my protests.
She'd decided to become my personal assistant and help with day-to-day tasks, much to the devastation of Penemue.
"You don't need to do this," I told her.
"I insist," she replied firmly. "You gave me a new life, Lord Kokabiel. The least I can do is ensure your daily affairs are managed properly."
I sighed but didn't argue further.
For transportation, I pulled out one of my favorite trophies—Indra's chariot, which I'd taken during the Great War.
"We're traveling in THAT?" Kazuma's eyes went wide. "That's a god's chariot, right?! It has the whole divine vibe."
"Former god's chariot," I corrected. "Spoils of war. It flies nicely."
We boarded, and the chariot lifted into the air smoothly, carrying us over medieval Europe.
It was around 1432, so there wasn't much interesting to see by modern standards—small villages, forests, dirt roads. The world was recovering from the wars and plague.
Ritsuka remarked thoughtfully, "The mana in the air is so pure and dense. It's like the Age of Gods era in my world."
"That's because the Age of Gods never truly ended here," I explained. "This world operates on different principles. Magic and divinity will remain strong even in modern age."
Kazuma asked curiously, "Do you actively intervene in human lives? Like, do you do miracles and stuff?"
"I mostly stopped after learning from Yahweh's lessons about natural order and free will," I replied. "But sometimes I make exceptions. Like this scenario."
I pointed downward.
Below us, a slaver ship was crossing the Mediterranean, packed with captured people in chains.
I extended one finger, and a beam of holy light shot down.
The ship's hull shattered instantly, killing all slavers, but none of the captives were harmed. They floated gently in the air, confused and terrified.
With a wave of my hand, the ship reconstructed itself. The captives were gently placed back on the now-freed vessel. Favorable winds filled the sails, turning the ship back toward their homeland.
The people on the ship looked up at the sky and began cheering in various languages. Different words, but the meaning was clear—gratitude, joy, freedom.
Kazuma patted my shoulder with a smirk. "You're such a kind and generous fellow oh magnanimous Kokabiel sama."
"Drop the flattery," I said immediately. "What do you want now?"
Kazuma clicked his tongue. "You're too sharp. But since you asked..." He tried to look pitiful. "Could you maybe give me a set of Angelic pieces? Just a small set. I'd take good care of them."
"Why?"
"I wish to be an angel of the lord spreading the divine word." He spoke with a heroic expression.
I raised an eyebrow. Ritsuka did too.
"I never thought you were the devout type, Kazuma-san," Ritsuka said skeptically.
I mercilessly rejected him. "No. I know exactly what you'd use them for. You want to build a harem of beautiful women who are willing to serve you at all times."
Grayfia looked at Kazuma with icy coldness. "Disgusting."
Kazuma paled and immediately tried to deny it. "No! That's not! I would never! Well, maybe! But that's not the point! Look—"
He pointed at Grayfia, then at me. "You riajuu bastard have a girlfriend already! Plus now you have a beautiful maid in your peerage! I want to be pampered by a beautiful maid too!"
Grayfia stared at him with a completely deadpan expression.
Kazuma nervously continued, digging himself deeper. "I mean, if it were possible, I'd have asked Grayfia! But she's already serving you! So I have to go for the second-best option since the best one was already taken! Curse you and your handsomeness!"
Grayfia suddenly blushed.
Ritsuka and I watched this trainwreck unfold with fascination.
Ritsuka whispered, "Should we help him?"
I shook my head. "Nah. This is way more entertaining."
Ritsuka sighed, then chuckled. "Kokabiel-san, you've really changed. You're becoming more like a regular person. I'm happy for you."
I smiled softly. "I was lucky to have good family and great friends to help me overcome my emotional limitations. Thank you for being part of that, Ritsuka."
She beamed.
Behind us, Kazuma was still desperately trying to explain himself to an increasingly flustered Grayfia while digging himself deeper into a hole.
It was truly a good day.
I should have cherished it more, not knowing soon I'd have to spend centuries without such a day.
For a being with omniscience, I often failed to look at my own future. Such Irony.