Facing someone with an unknown objective, Azazel arrived at an unavoidable conclusion.
Peace between the three factions had to be accelerated.
If individuals like that began to appear and form groups of their own, then the Fallen Angels, Devils, and even Heaven would struggle to deal with them. On top of that, Chaos Brigade had become active again—an organization led by the Infinite Dragon, Ophis.
And as if that were not enough, a new anomaly had now emerged.
All of it gave Azazel a headache.
As the Governor General of the Fallen Angels, his military strength had shrunk drastically since the last war. He had no interest whatsoever in igniting a new conflict. More importantly, his interests had shifted.
Researching Sacred Gears was far more appealing to him than war.
That was why he gathered Sacred Gear users under his banner—a group he called the Nephilim.
And the strongest among them stood right before him.
Tobio Ikuse, wielder of the Longinus Sacred Gear Canis Lykaon.
Lavinia Reni, wielder of the Longinus Sacred Gear Absolute Demise.
Vali Lucifer, wielder of the Longinus Sacred Gear Divine Dividing.
All three were extraordinary.
Yet among them, Vali was an anomaly unto himself. His existence was nearly impossible—the direct descendant of the original Lucifer, and at the same time the owner of Divine Dividing. A combination that statistically should never have occurred.
And if allowed to grow…
He would become a truly terrifying monster.
But that was a matter for the future.
At present, Vali seemed to have made his own decision. There was nothing interesting enough left for him to remain within the Fallen Angel faction.
Azazel let out a sigh, then spoke.
"Listen carefully. Be cautious when you act on your own. If anything dangerous happens, contact me immediately."
He made a small gesture.
"You may go."
With that, the meeting ended—yet the unease that lingered only grew heavier.
At that time, Azazel contacted someone to discuss the future.
...
At that moment, Jun—the figure currently being discussed by many parties—was meditating as usual beneath a plum blossom tree growing in Kuoh Park.
The day felt calm. Too calm.
As evening approached, he opened his eyes. This time, he was not carrying Maw. Bringing a slime into a public space filled with ordinary humans would only draw unnecessary attention—especially from those unaware of the supernatural world.
Footsteps approached.
"You?"
Jun lifted his gaze.
A girl with silver-blue hair, adorned with golden bangs, stood before him. Her face bore distinct Western beauty. She spoke fluent Japanese—understandable, considering she had now become a devil under the Gremory clan.
"Hello…" she said softly. "It seems we haven't properly introduced ourselves."
Jun observed her for a moment. He remembered this girl. At their first meeting, she had immediately requested a match without properly introducing herself—something that still felt strange.
"Yes," Jun replied. "Your Japanese is fluent."
"Ah… y-yes," she said awkwardly. "I'm often called a genius, so I learned from that incident."
She took a small breath.
"My name is Xenovia Quarta. And you?"
"Jun," he answered briefly. "Jun Mizushino."
The evening breeze blew gently, shaking plum petals loose as they fell one by one to the ground. The light of the setting sun filtered through the branches, casting soft shadows across the garden that was beginning to empty.
Jun watched Xenovia for a moment, then realized something.
The uniform she was wearing was the Kuoh Academy uniform.
"You attend Kuoh Academy?" he asked. "Then you know Akeno, right? She goes to school there too. Have you met?"
The question was unnecessary. Jun already knew the answer. Still, he chose to follow the proper flow.
"Yes," Xenovia replied with a nod. "She's my senior."
She glanced around the park, as if still adjusting to her new environment.
"I also decided to study in this country. Japan… an interesting place."
"I see," Jun said. "The environment is quite calm."
He then continued, his tone casual.
"Then where's your other friend?"
Xenovia looked slightly surprised, then gave a thin smile.
"Ah… Irina. She returned to Italy."
"Oh," Jun nodded lightly. "It must not be easy to adapt without a long-time companion. Especially in a foreign country."
For a moment, Xenovia fell silent. Then she shook her head gently.
"Not really," she said. "I've met many kind people here. So I'm not having any trouble at all."
Her tone was honest, without pretense. Not merely self-consolation.
Jun caught one thing from that answer.
She had chosen her own path.
"If you run into difficulties living around here," Jun said at last, "you can ask me for help."
He paused briefly, then asked casually.
"Do you have a social media account?"
Xenovia blinked, clearly not expecting that question.
"U-um…" She reached into her uniform pocket and pulled out an old flip phone, a model long outdated. "I'm not very familiar with it. I don't even have a modern phone."
Jun stared at the device for a moment, then held back a smile.
"I see," he said. "Then, want me to accompany you to buy a smartphone?"
He glanced up at the darkening sky.
"I happen to be free tonight."
Xenovia hesitated. Her shoulders stiffened slightly, as if she was not yet used to receiving offers that were so… normal.
"Uh… i-is that okay?" she asked.
Jun shrugged lightly.
"No problem. I like helping people who are having trouble," he said. "Think of it as helping a friend."
Xenovia went quiet for a moment.
"Uh… friend?" she repeated softly.
"Yes," Jun replied without hesitation. "Or at least an acquaintance. Do you mind?"
Xenovia's reaction came faster than she realized herself.
"I don't mind at all!!"
Her voice rose slightly. She immediately covered her mouth, realizing her excessive reaction.
Jun merely smiled faintly.
"That's good then," he said. "Honestly, I don't have many friends either."
That answer surprised Xenovia.
She looked at Jun again. From the outside, he seemed like someone easy to get along with—calm, relaxed, and not awkward. It was hard to imagine that he actually had a small social circle.
"…I see," she murmured.
For reasons she couldn't explain, those words felt heavier than they should have.
...
Jun had thought that walking together with a girl from a foreign country—who knew almost nothing about Japanese culture—might be enjoyable. Helping her adapt, while also getting a bit closer.
However, he quickly crossed out that thought himself.
Reality always had terrible timing.
At the end of the road leading to the shopping district, two figures he knew very well were walking side by side.
Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima.
From the shopping bags in Rias's hand, Jun could guess their destination. It seemed Akeno was accompanying her to buy light novels again—something he would have done himself, if only he hadn't declined Rias's invitation on Line a few hours earlier.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Jun's steps slowed unconsciously.
Rias and Akeno's gazes turned toward him… then shifted to the figure beside him.
And stopped there.
Those looks were not angry. Nor were they fully surprised.
More precisely—sharp.
Jun could feel it clearly. He was close enough to both of them, and also good friends with the girls who had been at the center of recent strange events. In that context, being caught walking with another girl naturally created an impression that was… not simple.
Akeno smiled.
But her smile did not reach her eyes.
Rias smiled as well, but her expression was stiff, as if she were composing the right words.
Meanwhile, Xenovia—who had just become a new member under Rias's nobility—stopped walking, confused by the atmosphere.
She looked at Jun, then at Rias and Akeno.
"…Am I interrupting?" she asked innocently.
That question only deepened the brief silence.
//--//
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