Rome.
After the Zelretch portal threw me out at my front door, I thought about it for a moment and decided to go out and wander around, just in case. And no, it had absolutely nothing to do with the presence of demons inside. Yeah, right.
After spending a couple of seconds thinking, I chose a more or less suitable place and teleported to Rome, or more precisely, to a coffee shop located practically next door to the Vatican. It was almost the perfect place, because the Vatican, and even more so Heaven, would have been too noisy.
- "Excuse me, miss," I said with a polite smile to the waitress standing with her back to me, dressed in the establishment's uniform of a knee-length black skirt, white blouse, and apron, as well as black tights and high-heeled shoes. "Do you know what date it is today?"
At first, there was no response, and I was about to repeat my question when the waitress slowly turned around, revealing her face to me. The moment I saw who she was, my brain instantly shut down and seemed to fly off into deep space.
The waitress calmly walked over to my table, swaying her hips, her waist shining, and smiling broadly. However, this smile did not bode well, considering who it belonged to, as well as her long silver hair in a ponytail and sharp brown eyes.
- "Are you interested in today's date or the time of your absence from this world, dear visitor?" she asked sweetly, causing me to flinch from a sense of wrongness, shock, fear, and a little trepidation.
My mind was completely blank, and my mouth just opened and closed as I couldn't think of a single word to say.
- "It seems that my beauty has captivated you, dear visitor. However, I could consider such a look as harassment," she said thoughtfully, putting her finger to her lips. "But, fortunately for you, I have a solution. Why don't we spend the whole... eternity... together?"
Who was that? Fucking Rizevim-chan, of course! But what the hell is she doing here, so close to the Vatican, where the Seraphim are right now?!
Did she know I'd be here?! No, that's impossible. My decision to come here was spontaneous, and... Wait. Who am I trying to fool, I know who she is.
- "What... What the hell are you doing here?" I managed to blurt out.
- "Can't I see the man I love with every fiber of my being, the man who keeps me awake at night in agony?" she replied with a question, then snapped her fingers, causing all the visitors and employees to bow and immediately leave the room.
- "No," I said.
- "You're hurting me, Romani, but it's okay. I'm a very patient woman and I know how to get what I want," Rizevim said, first with a sad expression, then with a confident one. "And judging by the look on your face, my new development has borne fruit."
What was she talking about? About the fact that I couldn't even recognize the demons, that is, Rizevim, who were so close to me. Yes, True Magic could unerringly determine the essence of creatures, but it had to be activated. However, she managed to deceive MY eyes, and that was already alarming.
- "I won't even ask how you achieved such a result."
- "Good, a woman should have her secrets, shouldn't she?" she giggled. "And by the way, the answer to your question would be a month. That's how long ago your aura disappeared. Won't you share where you were?"
- "You ask as if we're married."
- "Oh, I wouldn't mind at all. We could enjoy every second of our time together. Your eyes would be only on me and nothing else, and our sticky, sweaty bodies..."
- "No, that's not going to happen," I interrupted her, to which Rizevim showed nothing but a smile that clearly said she didn't think so. "Why are you here? I'll never believe you came here just to see me."
- "Actually, I do that a lot, just without you knowing," she said proudly, lifting her chin. "But this time it's a little different. How would you rate the relationship between you and Ophis? And how upset would you be if one of Sirzechs' younger sister's entourage died?"
- "Hm? Are you just hinting at your next moves like that?" I raised an eyebrow. "This has happened before, but so bluntly? This is a first."
- "Not mine, Romani. I would never deliberately harm the man I love," Rizevim said, shaking her finger with a pouty face. "That's what Cao Cao plans to do, who even dared to contradict me. He has already freed Samael from Cocytus, and his goal is Ophis that Azazel left in the house of the red lizard."
I thought about it.
So, everything was going exactly as it should have in the canon. According to the plot, Georg will move Issa's house into a pocket dimension and, with Samael's help, steal Ophis' power, creating a copy of her—Lilith. Vali's team will also be there at Azazel's request, and therefore will fall into the trap along with Rias and the others.
And the most significant event that was supposed to happen was the death of Issei. Temporary death and only of the body, of course, while his soul would be under the supervision of the Great Red and Ophis in the Space Between Dimensions.
But here's the catch: this Ophis wasn't as close to the demons as it was in the canon. And so no one knew, not even me, how this would turn out. However, I could have gone to the dragon gods myself at that stage, or sent Tia. But that's for later, when I have more information.
- "Well, I see," I sighed. "But why did you ask about Ophis and the death of Rias's retinue? I doubt that you didn't benefit in some way from Cao Cao's actions."
- "Well, I could have done something about it," Rizevim shrugged.
- "What if I asked you to stop him?"
- "I love you, Romani, but that doesn't mean I'll listen to your every word. At least not now, when someone is interfering with our eternity dedicated only to us," she replied slyly, then let out a chuckle and looked out the window. "I think it's time to say goodbye. Don't miss me, Romani, and if you do, call me right away. I'll be sure to come and cheer you up with my presence."
- "What do you mean?" I raised an eyebrow, but she didn't answer and, kissing me on the cheek, disappeared into the light of the silver magic circle. However, the answer came by itself, because a whole swarm of magic circles of various colors and patterns appeared next to the coffee shop. "No, don't tell me that..."
I didn't have time to finish before the bell above the coffee shop door rang and at least a hundred female demons entered, looking as if they wanted to show off all their charms.
There were not only evening dresses or corsets with open backs, shoulders, necklines, and so on, but also short skirts, lace or patterned stockings with high-heeled shoes or boots to emphasize the beauty of their legs.
Hairstyles also varied, ranging from quite ordinary to those that would require at least three hours in the stylist's chair. And, of course, when it came to wealth, watches, rings, pendants, and other jewelry made of precious metals and stones of the highest quality were in vogue.
Oh, yes. They were all being led by someone. They were being led by someone who, upon seeing me, approached my table and gave me a guilty but definitely cheerful smile. A familiar smile framed by long, familiar scarlet hair.
- "Romani-san..." began the tomato-overgrown boy. "I... apologize for this, but it is His Majesty's order. Even I am powerless to disobey him."
- "What are you talking about?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "And the amusement you're hiding behind that fake, guilty smile has nothing to do with it, I presume?"
- "Not at all," Sirzechs replied quickly, and a magic circle lit up beneath me. "And before you leave, I must inform you that running away would be... pointless."
- "What are you talking about?" I repeated.
- "Yes," he said. "His Majesty's words are law for all demons, whether pure-blooded or reborn. You would be hunted down even from Heaven, given our alliance, which was formed thanks to you. I am here to tell you this in person, and if I weren't here now... you can guess what would happen."
- "Are you saying you're doing me a favor, Sirzechs-chan?"
- "That is for you to decide, Romani-san," he replied. "But you won't be able to escape. Just... accept His Majesty's gift, or else... things could get much worse..."
My eyebrow twitched wildly, and in the recesses of my mind, I could clearly hear the malicious and arrogant laughter of the Beast.
I will get my revenge, you bastard... Don't worry about it...
-0-
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