Cleria smiled kindly and gestured to the two chairs. She had to clean up the mess her cousin made before Igor blew a fuse.
"Now, please take a seat and tell me what I can do for you?"
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|DxD|- Chapter 37- Mother
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Igor sank into the cushioned velvet seat. Cleria's strawberry scent did little to diminish the vigilance he had against her and everyone in here.
Perhaps he was paranoid. So far, everyone he met has been nothing but kind to him. To be so wary…it wasn't fair to them. But seeing a devil for the first time drove it in for him—he hadn't moved past that damned stray devil.
He kept telling himself to calm down. He was much stronger now, but his body refused to listen to him. There were only two options for him—to run or to fight.
Shuri's presence gave him a third. Her warm hand against his palm kept him level enough to speak properly. One way or another, he had to find his mother today.
"Miss Cleria. I came because…"
His throat closed as if an invisible hand grabbed. Why couldn't he stop being so nervous?
"...because…I want to know where you found me. Please…"
His eyes itched from not blinking for so long. His forehead was damp, a result of his stupid body refusing to calm itself. He awkwardly watched Cleria, unable to hide his unease. She was his hope in searching that massive forest.
Igor's condition did not escape Cleria. By now, her smile had somewhat faded. Thinking of the state she found Igor in brought back uncomfortable memories. Why would he want to go back? She considered asking, but she'd respect his reasons.
"Alright, Igor."
Cleria pushed herself off her chair. Perhaps a change of air would be better for this little boy. It'd been a year since she went there, but she still remembered the place.
"If you're not uncomfortable with teleportation, I can take you there."
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|DxD|
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The Park of Kuoh was a reserved beauty of nature for anyone wishing to escape the town's bustle. The trees rustled in a great symphony of silent applause. They bordered the park en masse, becoming the nesting grounds for birds who sang along.
A simple yet majestic fountain sat at the centre of it all. Water curtained over the edges and tumbled to the bottom. A few curious squirrels and children happily jumped around while parents watched from afar.
Boys and girls sped around the park in a game of tag, while others played on the swings and merry-go-rounds. Saturday was for everyone to enjoy in peace, including the father and daughter seated on one of the benches.
"Papa~?"
"Yes, Akeno?"
"Apu~."
"No, Akeno."
"Mau~!"
Baraquiel cradled his daughter on his thighs. His thumbs gently brushed over her cheeks. She was his greatest pride in his chaotic life, a gift from his wife he would cherish forever.
"Pa…pa~!!"
Akeno jolted on his lap. Her tiny fists were clenched in dissatisfaction.
"Apu isn't here, Akeno. You'll see him later today."
"Maaa~…"
Akeno flopped onto his stomach. The rest of her mumbles were muffled by his clothes. Baraquiel only smiled and began caressing her hair
He was in more casual attire today to fit the town's relaxed atmosphere. A trenchcoat and combat boots would draw far too many unnecessary eyes. A devil's familiar had flown by minutes ago. Whether it was routine patrol or something else, he wouldn't investigate. Cleria was a competent overseer. That much, he would give her.
"Papa~?"
"Hm?"
"Mama~."
"Mama will be back later."
"Hmmm~…"
Akeno fell on his stomach again. Her breaths were a bit ticklish through the thin fabric of his polo shirt. Baraquiel shifted his feet and the heels of his dress shoes clicked on the paving. Not a moment passed when he didn't pay attention to his wife and Igor. He couldn't sense the precise situation inside because of the barrier, but so long as Shuri crushed the stone he gave her, he'd come. Against a high-class, he was sure his wife could still react in time.
"Papa~?"
"Yes, Akeno?"
Akeno pressed her pudgy finger into his chest.
"You~."
"I'm here, my baby girl."
Baraquiel rubbed his beard over her face, sending little Akeno into a fit of giggles.
"Hihihihi~. Hihihihihi~."
She grabbed his cheeks and tried to push him away, but all she caught were handfuls of his beard. Baraquiel held her steady. His smile was deep and blissful. His proudest moment was never becoming a Cadre or the Lightning General. It was becoming a father to this little bundle of joy.
This deep love he felt for Akeno let him understand what Igor's parents must've felt for him. Once the boy gave his last goodbyes to his mother's ashes, he would do his best to honour their sacrifice and train him into a man they would be proud of. This was his silent promise to their memory.
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|DxD|
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The forests of Kuoh were wild and unforgiving. This ocean of chaos was far larger than the town and stretched across several settlements and farms. All sorts of wildlife roamed between the trees. The dense foliage curtained the canopy, providing an ever-present shade to the world below.
Over thirty kilometres from town, a large white teleportation circle spread over the dead leaf litter. A flash of light rose and was immediately accompanied by four pairs of feet snapping and crushing the dry leaves and twigs.
The sudden crunching sounds sent crying monkeys scampering and small rodents squeaking away. The white light faded, revealing: Cleria, Shuri, Diehauser, and Igor. The blonde felt a splitting headache and a thin film of vitality had formed around him.
"What's wrong, Igor?"
Shuri worryingly placed her hand on his shoulder. His face was pale and cold to the skin. A set of feet stomped over. Cleria had a fierce expression of worry on her.
"Why did you fight the teleportation? Do you want to die?!"
The situation was too sudden. She was losing her mind over Igor's quite frankly, suicidal actions. Did he really distrust devils to this extent?! She explicitly told him to relax before they left! Who knows what could've happened if she wasn't paying attention during transit.
"I believe it was an instinctive reaction, Cleria. Perhaps out of his control even. Is it not so, Igor?"
Diehauser sauntered around Igor. His eyes glowed white with analysis. Igor's body was, quite literally, attempting to 'burn' away all the demonic energy in and around it. Diehauser filed that knowledge in his head.
Igor did not have the capacity to answer. A splitting headache assaulted him and everything was woozy and upside down. The urge to vomit was strong and his body just felt wrong.
Cleria also mimicked her brother and opened her eyes. Two pairs of eyes swept over Igor and when Cleria saw what she saw, all she held was confusion.
[What is…this?]
Teleportation magic involved covering everyone in a protective layer of energy whilst space was warped. Igor's energy 'ate' away at that thin film mid-transit, forcing Cleria to apply an even stronger film so he wouldn't be torn apart.
"Well then."
Diehauser clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
"It seems extra care has to be taken in the future when teleporting with Igor. Don't you think, cousin?"
"..."
Cleria wanted to say Igor should never ever be teleported, especially in the future. His resistance to demonic energy had grown since she last attempted to reincarnate him. If this resistance scaled with his strength, then it would only be more dangerous for him to teleport.
[I'll tell Shuri later.]
Cleria took a few steps from the group and gestured around her. Best to move past this mishap and focus on the request.
"Alright, Igor. This is where my peerage and I found you."
This part of the forest was a large clearing big enough to park several buses. Several branches interlocked to form a mesh canopy, leaving just enough space for stray rays of sunlight to pierce through and light the forest floor in an orange glow.
"From here, the stray devil Jonathan should not have been able to cover more than ten kilometres. You can search from here in a radius. This should fit your ten-minute requirement, Igor."
Cleria looked back. Igor had visibly recovered and was standing with Shuri next to him.
"Thank you."
Igor nodded. His body was covered in sweat from the freezing sensation of foreign energy embalming him. There was a bit of weakness, but not enough that it could stop him. He straightened up and vitality blazed in intensity.
"I'll go and look."
He burst away from the clearing, leaving a whirlwind of trailing leaves. Diehauser watched Igor pull away at quite an astonishing speed for his age.
"Will you not go after him, Shuri?"
Diehauser enquired with a kind smile. It was a rhetorical question. With her speed, she could easily catch up to Igor.
"No, Lord Belial."
Shuri wiped away stray strands of hair glued to her face. Igor had shot past like a truck when he left.
"I believe it is time we clear the air between us."
Shuri radiated determination. She would not allow Diehauser to play around with Igor.
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AN: Shuri is baring her fangs and changes are coming. I'm curious to see what will happen when Igor finds his mother too. Even if he'll find ashes, I believe it might be too much to let a child search alone. It's a bit…inhumane.
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Chapter 37
END