Kokabiel's POV
After the party and the brief tour of the DxD world, it was time for Kazuma and Ritsuka to return to their respective worlds.
Despite Kazuma's vocal and increasingly desperate unwillingness to leave what he kept calling 'Nirvana' or 'Paradise on Earth,' the chat group's automated return system teleported him back to Konosuba without mercy.
Before he left, however, we got to witness an amusing scene that I would treasure for quite some time.
Flashback
Kazuma hesitantly approached Grayfia, who was standing near the portal preparing departure coordinates. He shuffled his feet, looking uncharacteristically nervous.
"Ehmm Grayfia... So I'll be leaving now..." he said, his voice lacking its usual confidence.
Grayfia raised an eyebrow, her expression perfectly neutral. "And?"
Kazuma visibly slumped in defeat, his shoulders sagging. "Uh, nothing! I just wanted to say goodbye properly, you know? And wish you good luck with your new life and everything here, all that stuff!"
Grayfia nodded with complete blankness. "I wish the same for you, Satou Kazuma."
Kazuma scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Hey, that's a little cold. I was hoping for at least a smile or something. Maybe even a goodbye hug? Maybe a 'take care' with some more emotion?"
Grayfia maintained her professional expression without a flicker of emotion. "Perhaps you should seek warmth somewhere else. I am an ice magic user, after all."
As if to emphasize her point, an ice spear materialized in her hand. Frost spread across her fingers, the temperature dropping noticeably.
Kazuma physically shivered and took a cautious step backward. "Uh... Hey now, there's absolutely no need for violence between friends! We're comrades! Allies who fought together!"
Grayfia dismissed the spear with a casual gesture and replied with perfect, deadly calm. "I wouldn't dare harm a comrade of my lord. I would not act out of my personal preferences or feelings. "
Kazuma saw a ray of hope and sunshine. But it was crushed the next second.
"Even if the person in question is scum beyond any hope of salvation or redemption."
Kazuma lost his composure completely. "OI! That sounded EXTREMELY personal to me! Why the hell are you acting like a scorned wife or something?!"
I could literally hear the grinding of teeth from where I stood as Grayfia spoke with dangerous coldness. "You have an overactive imagination, Satou Kazuma."
This entire situation had started after Kazuma and Odin somehow bonded during our visit to Asgard earlier in the week.
Odin, being the shameless pervert that he was, had immediately asked Kazuma about pornography and erotic culture in other worlds once he learned the boy was a dimensional traveler from Earth.
Kazuma, being Kazuma, had decided this was a perfect opportunity to "impart wisdom" and "share culture." He'd negotiated a trade—his knowledge in exchange for a branch from Yggdrasil.
Odin had agreed enthusiastically despite the loud and vehement protests of his entire pantheon.
What followed was an incredibly detailed, in-depth discussion about various inappropriate topics that made absolutely everyone within earshot profoundly uncomfortable.
They'd discussed genres, tropes, character archetypes, plot structures—the works.
Both of them were eventually dragged away from their cultural exchange.
Odin was hauled off by an absolutely furious Freyja, who looked ready to murder her king.
Kazuma was dragged away by Grayfia, and she'd been notably rough about it. She'd practically lifted him by the leg like a misbehaving toddler and his face was dragged through the ground without any gentleness.
At least Thor hadn't been present to witness the scene or challenge me to yet another fight. That guy never learned his lesson no matter how many times I beat him into the ground.
It also seemed my self-appointed maid had developed some complicated feelings for the idiot after witnessing his somewhat heroic performance and saving her during the battle against the Old Satan faction.
And now Kazuma was fumbling absolutely every opportunity that came his way with all the grace and subtlety of a drunk elephant trying to dance ballet.
He probably didn't realize it yet, but saving someone's life came with consequences.
In this particular case, being regularly beaten by the person you saved seemed to be the inevitable result.
Ritsuka and I watched the scene unfold with barely contained amusement.
Ritsuka leaned over and whispered to me. "Is it really alright to leave things like this between them? Shouldn't we help a little bit?"
I shrugged casually. "They can make their own choices. I'm not going to interfere in whatever this is. Besides, if she actually develops genuine romantic feelings for that dumbass, I fear for her sanity and intellectual capabilities. Might even have to fire her or something."
Ritsuka gasped, scandalized. "Kokabiel-san! That's incredibly rude!" She paused, then her expression became more conflicted. "I mean... I agree that Kazuma-san is a little..."
She trailed off, clearly struggling. "Ah, who am I even kidding? He IS a complete idiot most of the time! I just hope they don't misunderstand each other's intentions and make the situation even worse than it already is."
I looked away toward the horizon and sighed. "They live in completely different worlds and lead entirely different lives. The distance alone make any relationship impractical. It doesn't look promising for them."
I paused, then added quietly. "But stranger things have happened before in this omniverse. Perhaps they will have a miracle of their own."
Ritsuka giggled, covering her mouth. "Yes, like you having an actual girlfriend! How is Katie-san doing, by the way? I really wish I could meet her someday soon. She sounds lovely from how Klein san described her. The couple photo of you two was also very cute!"
I sighed deeply. "You people have really made up your collective minds about categorizing our relationship despite my repeated denials and corrections.
As for your question, she's doing well enough. She's been a bit busy lately with managing her church and helping her followers go through a significant theological transition period. Nothing too dramatic or concerning."
Ritsuka grinned knowingly. "You are simplifying the fact you have been made a deity i Klein's world along with her. Look at you trying so hard to hide your shyness about the relationship!It's actually kind of cute."
"I am literally incapable of experiencing shyness as an emotion, Ritsuka."
"Semantics!"
Kazuma dragged himself lifelessly toward us, looking pale and hollow-eyed like he'd just survived a war. "Can we just leave already? Please? I'm begging you. I can only take so much emotional damage in one day before I break completely. My heart can't handle this kind of abuse."
Ritsuka looked at him with genuine pity in her eyes. "You really shouldn't have run your mouth like that with Odin, Kazuma-san. Grayfia-san wouldn't be this angry with you otherwise. You brought this entirely on yourself. You're lucky she is still talking to you after that."
Kazuma looked like he might actually start crying. "I was just sharing my accumulated wisdom and culture with a fellow man of refined taste!
That old perverted bastard Odin was the one who decided to show off his pathetic half-assed collection first! I had a moral and cultural obligation to properly educate him about true art!"
I remarked dryly. "Congratulations on your decisive victory in the pervert competition. A truly heroic achievement.
Now please go home before I lose even more brain cells trying to tolerate your existence and stupidity."
Kazuma tried weakly, his voice small. "Hey man... Would you maybe be interested in—"
"No."
Kazuma's face darkened with frustrated anger. "I didn't even finish asking the damn question yet, you bastard!"
"You seem to forget, Kazutrash, that I possess omniscience. I already know what you're going to ask, and the answer is an absolute no."
"OI! Don't you dare flex your cosmic powers on me right now! I'm already suffering enough!" Kazuma looked like he'd given up on life entirely.
I allowed the hint of a smile to appear on my face. "Don't worry too much about Grayfia. She doesn't actually hate you, believe it or not. She's just... expressing herself in her own unique way.
Maybe in a couple of centuries or so, you could potentially wear her down through persistent begging and pathetic displays."
Kazuma, who'd started to develop a hopeful smile at the first half of my sentence, looked completely deadpan and dead inside after hearing the second part.
"Are Outer Gods naturally programmed to be complete assholes, or is this personality defect specific to you?"
I chuckled genuinely. "You'd better run along before I tell Grayfia to give you a proper farewell beating. I think she would thoroughly enjoy it."
Ritsuka tried to play peacemaker, stepping between us. "Alright guys, please don't fight right before parting. Let's end this on a positive note with smiles. Who knows when we'll all meet again like this?"
I patted her head affectionately. "See, Kazuma? Learn some basic manners and emotional maturity from Ritsuka. Though I suppose Grayfia has significantly better standards than you can currently meet despite the bar being set so low."
I paused, then added with deliberate casualness. "Maybe someday in the distant future, Aqua would be successfully seduced by your questionable charms instead. I genuinely look forward to meeting your stupid children someday."
Kazuma stopped dead in his tracks.
His eyes widened in absolute existential horror. His mouth fell open in shock. He began shivering violently, as if experiencing severe hypothermia.
He actually gagged and nearly vomited right there on the ground, pointing an accusing finger at me with a visibly trembling hand.
"CURSE YOU! YOU SICK TWISTED BASTARD!" He looked genuinely traumatized by the mental image.
"I'd rather drag my balls through one hundred miles of jagged broken glass than even THINK about Aqua in that way! My brain feels actively polluted right now! Corrupted! I need mental bleach!"
The horrifying mental imagery I'd deliberately planted in his mind caused his Sharingan to flare to life completely involuntarily.
The tomoe began spinning rapidly in his eyes, and right before our eyes, a third tomoe materialized and solidified.
He'd just accidentally upgraded to a three-tomoe Sharingan through pure psychological trauma and emotional damage.
Ritsuka looked genuinely disturbed at witnessing the accidental power-up. "Did you... did you just get mentally scarred badly enough to evolve your dojutsu? That's actually kind of horrifying to watch happen."
Kazuma didn't respond verbally, just continued shuddering with his eyes wide.
Ritsuka turned to me with a helpless, resigned sigh. "That's going way too far, Kokabiel-san. Even for you and your usual behavior."
I shrugged with complete innocence. "Some people just need tough love and harsh lessons to grow properly, Ritsuka. I'm simply helping him develop as a person and fighter."
Kazuma gave me a hateful glare intense enough to physically melt steel as the return portal finally materialized behind him with a shimmer of light.
"Fuck you, Kokabiel. Sincerely and genuinely fuck you from the bottom of my heart."
I waved cheerfully, not bothered at all. "I have significantly better standards than that, Ku-zu-ma. But you should seriously consider my suggestion about Aqua! You two would make such a cute, dysfunctional couple together! Don't you think so, Ritsuka?"
Ritsuka, who'd been somewhat distracted examining the portal's energy signature, nodded absent-mindedly without really processing my words. "Huh? Yes... I suppose they would look cute together in some weird way..."
Kazuma let out a sound of pure anguish and stumbled backward, practically falling through the portal.
He probably landed face-first on the Konosuba side.
The portal closed with a soft shimmer, cutting off his screams.
Ritsuka sighed deeply and rubbed her forehead as she turned toward her own departure portal that was forming nearby. "Did you really have to traumatize him so badly right before he left? That seems excessive."
I smirked without remorse. "I was simply being a helpful and supportive wingman to our dear friend. He desperately needs all the assistance he can possibly get with relationships."
Ritsuka shook her head with resignation, but then her expression softened and she smiled warmly as she waved. "Despite having to witness Kazuma-san's complete misery and suffering, this trip was genuinely fun and educational. I got to see amazing places and meet wonderful people I'll never forget."
Her smile became brighter. "Thank you so much for your hospitality and kindness, Kokabiel-san. It really meant a lot."
Her expression shifted to something more hopeful and eager. "I really hope you can visit our world at Chaldea someday without it being mission-related or emergency-based.
Mash and Doctor Romani would absolutely love to meet you in person. They've heard so many stories about you from me."
I smiled gently despite knowing exactly what would eventually transpire in her world.
The revelations that were coming. The secrets that would be unveiled. The truths about humanity's extinction and Chaldea's true purpose that would temporarily break her spirit before she rebuilt herself even stronger.
But that wasn't for me to spoil. She needed to walk that path herself.
"I look forward to visiting, Ritsuka. Take very good care of yourself out there."
She waved cheerfully one last time and walked through the portal with confident steps, returning to Chaldea to continue fighting desperately for another doomed reality that she absolutely refused to abandon or give up on.
The kind of stubborn determination that made humans special.
Flashback End
****
Now here I was, several days later, standing on a cliff overlooking the dark Aegean Sea.
The sun was slowly descending toward the western horizon, painting the ancient waters in brilliant shades of gold, crimson, and deep purple.
It was a pure and beautiful sight, still completely unblemished by modern pollution or excessive human civilization.
Grayfia stood obediently behind me at a respectful distance, silent and professional as always.
I sighed and spoke softly, more to myself than to her, my words thoughtful.
"Day and night are always so distant from each other. Permanently separated by the eternal rotation of the world itself, never truly meeting face to face."
I paused, watching the colors shift and blend across the water.
"Yet in two specific moments each day—dawn and dusk—they come closer than anything else in all of existence. Their boundaries blur together. It's genuinely poetic when you think about it."
I turned slightly, still watching the sunset. "It demonstrates that distance, no matter how vast or impossible it seems, is never truly unreachable if you're patient enough and willing to wait for exactly the right moment."
Grayfia didn't respond verbally, but I could distinctly sense her listening with full attention to every word. Well, if she wants to have something with that idiot, this is the only encouragement she will get.
I sighed again and finally stood up from my chair, stretching my arms slightly.
Grayfia immediately got to work with practiced efficiency.
She folded the comfortable chair I'd been sitting in and the portable table with smooth, precise movements. Everything was stored away using spatial magic.
She carefully collected all the refreshments she'd meticulously prepared earlier—expensive tea, small decorative cakes, various premium snacks—and neatly packed everything away into storage.
I'd told her repeatedly, multiple times, that I didn't actually need any of this comfort. That I could sit comfortably on bare rock for literal centuries without any discomfort whatsoever.
Yet she prepared everything anyway with obsessive care and attention to detail every single time. I would have given her a raise if she was getting paid anything at all..
Does that make Kings with peerages basically sweat shop owners? Interesting thought for future.
She took her self-appointed role as my personal maid and administrative assistant far too seriously for her own good.
At least with Grayfia I didn't have to constantly worry about her trying to smother me affectionately with her ... Assets in my sleep like Penemue occasionally attempted when she thought I was vulnerable.
Or trying to do other decidedly inappropriate things that were absolutely not suitable for general audiences or polite company.
Grayfia flourished a document from her personal storage space with professional grace and spoke in her formal tone.
"Kokabiel-sama, Sariel-san sent this intelligence report earlier today. He mentioned something concerning about sudden unusual vampire activities in the Romania region. Multiple suspicious incidents have been reported."
I thought carefully for a moment, then nodded with growing recognition. "Ah yes, I'd almost completely forgotten about that developing situation.
It should be happening around this specific time period, historically speaking. Wallachia, specifically, if my memory serves correctly?"
Grayfia nodded solemnly, her expression serious. "Yes, Kokabiel-sama. Sariel-san has already dispatched a Guardian Angel tactical unit to thoroughly investigate the situation and deal with any significant threats as necessary."
I shrugged casually, not particularly concerned. "I might as well go and take a direct look personally. I don't have anything particularly important or urgent scheduled at the moment anyway."
Grayfia coughed delicately, a slight warning. "Ehem, with all due respect, Kokabiel-sama, you were formally invited to Greece by Lady Athena herself for a specific event.
The Greek pantheon is apparently opening some kind of sanctuary and training facility for their demigod children under the direct instruction of Chiron the centaur."
She continued in her professional manner. "The inaugural ceremony is officially scheduled for tomorrow morning. You have been personally invited by Lady Athena to cut the ceremonial ribbon and deliver an inspirational speech as an official act of diplomatic solidarity between our respective factions."
I waved it off dismissively without hesitation. "Yeah, I'm really not one for formal ceremonies and boring public speeches. Too tedious. So I'm going to be conveniently unavailable for that event."
Grayfia's mouth curved distinctly upward in what could only be described as a knowing smirk.
"Lady Athena specifically mentioned that you would most likely say exactly that in those exact words. So she very thoughtfully left a personal note for you to read at your convenience."
I raised an eyebrow skeptically and took the offered note from her hand.
My eye began twitching violently as I read Athena's sweetly written message in her elegant handwriting.
It was straightforward. Direct. Unambiguous.
A threat. Or perhaps more accurately, a promise. The distinction was somewhat unclear.
The message was refreshingly simple: If I didn't show up to the ceremony tomorrow morning, I would become a biological father to her mind baby within the next twenty-four hours whether I wanted to or not.
Although I knew such a thing probably wasn't possible through conventional natural means with my current form, Athena had known me well before my ascension to full Outer God status.
She had carefully preserved a sample of my original angelic essence from thousands of years ago, stored away in magically sealed containers. Just a strand of hair.
I didn't honestly care what she wanted to do with it at the time, as she shared her divine essence as well, and would have shared something more intimate if not for my tactical retreat.
Technically speaking, she absolutely could use that preserved essence combined with her own divine power and authority to artificially create a child between us.
She'd told me about possessing this specific capability long ago during the private conversation in her chambers, mentioning quite casually that she could accomplish the entire process with nothing but focused thought and concentrated divine willpower.
I coughed awkwardly and immediately burned the threatening note to complete ash with a simple thought, scattering the remains.
"Ehem... On second thought, I should definitely make a serious effort to improve diplomatic relations between our respective pantheons.
International cooperation is important. Might as well go and inspire some young demigods while I'm at it. Build bridges. Foster mutual understanding and cooperation."
Grayfia had what could only be described as an openly smug smile on her usually carefully neutral face.
"So, should I immediately contact Lady Athena through official channels and inform her to expect your attendance tomorrow morning?"
I turned around and started walking purposefully toward the portal departure point, trying to maintain some dignity.
"You're enjoying your job and my suffering far too much, Grayfia."
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, Kokabiel-sama," she replied smoothly, following me with that same subtle but definitely smug smile still visible on her face.
I picked up the formal invitation with a genuinely wry smile and shook my head in disbelief.
"Camp Half-Blood? Seriously? Who even came up with such a ridiculous name like that? They really lack any sense of creativity or subtlety whatsoever."
Grayfia nodded. " Let us hope Zeus doesn't overcrowd the schools population with his exploits. I heard Lady Celeste would also be present with Lady Hera. "
Hmm, interesting. I almost forgot about her. Yahweh and Hera's daughter, and the root of the problem between Greeks and Heaven. Zeus allowed her to be present publicly? That should be interesting.
So Greece it was tomorrow, apparently.
Let's just sincerely hope that Zeus doesn't cause yet another dramatic scene and force me to beat him down publicly in front of his entire assembled pantheon.
Again.