I never imagined that being questioned by a Demon King could feel so… human.
Sirzechs didn't yell at me. His threat—if I can even call it that—was strangely gentle. And that's what unnerved me the most. I couldn't tell whether it was mercy or a warning in disguise.
And worst of all, I have no idea how this is going to affect me going forward.
I understand why he might think I'm a traitor. After all, who in their right mind finds themselves face-to-face with the leader of the Fallen Angels and doesn't end up as ash or worse?
What else could I have done?
Fighting Azazel? That was a one-way ticket to becoming a red smear on the pavement.
My only option was to play along. To gather information, keep him interested, survive. And yet, even with that in mind, Sirzechs has the gall to treat me like I'm some dangerous variable.
What a bastard.
So now, here I was, jogging through the streets of Kuoh under the faint light of dawn. A habit I'd picked up recently to clear my head, though I'd stretched this morning's run longer than usual. The city always seemed eerily calm at this hour—an illusion of peace resting atop layers of supernatural filth and secrets.
And that's when I saw her.
A girl with golden hair and a smile so pure, it looked out of place in a town like this. Her very presence felt like it belonged to a different world, a brighter one.
Right. I have to "accidentally" bump into her now.
Let's pretend I didn't see her—
THUD.
"Accidentally," I collided with her. She let out a soft yelp and fell to the ground, her bag spilling onto the sidewalk in front of me.
Perfect.
I immediately crouched down to help, feigning concern as naturally as I could.
"I'm so sorry," I said, brushing imaginary dust from my shirt. "I didn't see you while jogging."
I made sure her veil didn't fly away with the breeze as I gathered her scattered belongings.
"I'm Hyoudou Issei, by the way," I added, extending a hand.
She looked up at me with those impossibly gentle eyes. "N-Nice to meet you… I'm Asia Argento."
Her accent betrayed her foreign roots—probably Italian. She took my hand delicately, shaking it with a shy smile.
"You're not from around here, huh?"
She shook her head slowly, and I let my eyes flick to her attire.
"A nun," I said, voice casual, as if I'd just put it together on the spot. "You must be headed to the church in town."
She hesitated. "Y-Yes… Though I seem to be a bit lost. The streets here are like a maze."
No kidding.
"Well, that makes sense," I replied, turning and pointing toward the distant silhouette of an old church. "You're actually walking in the opposite direction."
Her eyes lit up like candles in the dark. She turned and spotted the church far off, its cross barely visible beyond the misty morning haze.
"That's it! Thank you so much, Issei. I was really worried I wouldn't find it in time."
She clasped my hand again, shaking it with renewed enthusiasm.
Her hands were small. Warm. I wondered idly how they'd feel compared to—
No. Focus.
"It's no trouble," I said. "Would you mind if I walked with you? It's not safe for a girl to wander alone around here, even during the day."
Her face lit up in response. I could practically feel her joy radiating off her in waves.
"That's very kind of you," she said, placing a hand on her chest. "But are you sure? I wouldn't want to trouble you."
"No trouble at all," I replied with a charming smile. "It's my duty to ensure you get to your destination safely."
Play the knight. Make her feel like she matters. That way, her trust comes faster.
Wait. Why the hell am I thinking about how to make her fall for me?
I'm after power. Not romance.
Okay… maybe it's 50/50. But still, it's weird for my thoughts to drift like this.
Must be because she's so damn… sweet.
Honestly, I wouldn't mind if she—
…
We walked together, the silence between us oddly comforting. Just the soft rustle of wind and distant birdsong. No screeching devils or holy fire. Just… a moment.
Then she broke the silence.
"Um… Issei, do you always do this?"
I glanced sideways at her. "Do what?"
"Help lost strangers find churches," she said with a tiny laugh.
"Only if they look equally lost and dressed like extras from a Vatican documentary."
I shot her a sarcastic smile—not enough to offend, just enough to amuse.
She giggled. It was quiet and a bit bashful, but real. Honest. Her laughter didn't feel like it belonged in this world I now lived in.
"Any reason you ask?" I continued.
"Well… I'm not used to boys being so nice," she said, voice barely above a whisper. "Back at the church I grew up in, most kept their distance. They said I was… special. But it never felt like a good thing."
Special, huh?
I let that sit for a moment before asking, "Why special?"
She hesitated. Then, she raised her hands and looked at them like they were alien. "They say I can heal with them. That God gave me this gift. But… sometimes, it feels like I'm just a tool. Not a person."
I stopped walking.
Not because it shocked me—I already knew about Twilight Healing.
I stopped because I hated how calmly she said it. Like it was okay. Like it was fine to be used.
"You shouldn't let others decide your worth just because you have something they don't understand," I said, tone low.
"You really think so?"
Her voice was uncertain. Like she wanted to believe me but had never been given permission to before.
"Of course," I said, breathing out slowly.
The thoughts started flooding back in.
The plan. The objective. The church. The fallen angels.
All I had to do was walk her there. Identify who was guarding it. Then kill them. Devour them using the Twice Critical now fused to my shotgun and gain everything I needed.
Simple. Efficient.
And yet, watching her walk beside me with that grateful look on her face, like I was someone she could trust…
Goddammit. This isn't going to be as simple as I thought.
BEEP!!
The sudden blare of a horn snapped me out of my trance. A car rushed by too close to the sidewalk, and on instinct, I threw my arm in front of her protectively.
"Watch it," I muttered, glaring at the retreating vehicle.
She hadn't been in real danger, but she looked up at me like I'd just saved her life.
"Thank you, Issei," she said softly.
I nodded, saying nothing.
How the hell was I supposed to respond to that?
Everything about her is too… pure. Too good.
Meanwhile, I've already killed more so-called "people" than I can count. If you can even call the street devils and thugs I've put down people.
Shit.
I blinked and realized I'd fallen silent for too long. I needed to respond—keep the illusion going.
"No need to thank me," I said, voice distant.
She tilted her head slightly. "Your aura is warm."
I turned toward her. "Aura?"
"Yeah," she said, smiling again. "Like… a feeling. When I'm near you, I feel peaceful."
Her fingers gently touched her chest. "I didn't expect that from someone on the other side."
There it was. The sting.
The reminder of what I was—or what I was supposed to be.
"Maybe I'm an anomaly," I muttered.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with that," she said softly. "Sometimes anomalies are what change the world."
Why did those words hit so hard?
She didn't even realize how close to the truth she was.
She kept talking.
"When I arrived in Japan, I prayed every day that I wouldn't be alone. That someone would help me. And then… I ran into you."
"Literally," I muttered, trying to lighten the mood.
She laughed again.
That sound…
And then, like fate mocking me, we turned the corner—and the church came into full view.
Tall, old, almost abandoned-looking. But beneath that fragile shell, I could feel it.
Their auras.
Fallen Angels.
The sanctuary was tainted.
She didn't notice. She couldn't. But I did. Every instinct in my body screamed danger.
And yet… she kept smiling.
How could someone walk willingly into hell without realizing it?
---
12:56 AM — Hyoudou Residence
I got home less than half an hour ago.
After escorting her all the way, I had wandered aimlessly for hours. My mind wouldn't stop racing.
Now, I stood under the hot shower, steam swirling around me like ghosts of my conscience. The water scalded my skin—but it wasn't enough to wash her away.
Asia Argento.
Her name was so ordinary. And yet in my case, it had triggered a war inside me.
I'd gotten used to seeing people as pieces—chess tokens on a board I never asked to play. And I'd decided I was going to win, no matter how bloodied the path.
But her…
She smiled at me like I mattered. Like she didn't see the demon in me. Like the burn marks on my soul didn't even register.
Goddammit.
This shouldn't be affecting me.
But here I am, remembering her words. Her hands. Her quiet, unshakable faith.
What's she going to do when she sees what I'll become?
When I slaughter Raynare in that church and the ritual begins?
I clenched my fist. The Twice Critical pulsed faintly, reacting to my turmoil like it had its own heartbeat.
I can't afford to be weak. Not now. Not when I'm this close to breaking through.
But I'm getting tired of pretending I don't feel anything.
And the worst part?
For the first time since I got dragged into this nightmare… I'm not sure I want to stop pretending.
--