As if on cue, the two red-haired males from the Gremory Clan appeared, led by Sona Sitri and her Queen, Shinra Tsubaki.
Sona stepped forward with a displeased expression on her face.
"Saji, what are you doing? I asked you to resolve this situation quickly—"
She suddenly stopped and turned extremely pale when she saw the Mahou Shoujo, who, in contrast, lit up upon seeing Sona.
"Sona-chan, I found you!" she cried enthusiastically and leapt onto Sona, who was frozen in place.
"Oh, if it isn't Serafall. So you came for the class visits too?" Sirzechs greeted the Mahou Shoujo, confirming Gilgamesh's theory.
Serafall Leviathan, one of the Yondai Maou. Formerly Serafall Sitri, the former heiress of the Sitri Clan before taking on the role of Maou Leviathan. A master of ice magic, far surpassing the original Leviathan. Though not a Super Devil like Sirzechs Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub, she was undoubtedly one of the strongest among demons.
"Leviathan-sama, it's been a while," Rias greeted the… woman who was one of the leaders of her race with an ironic expression.
"Oh, Rias-chan! It's been so long! How are you~?" Serafall Leviathan said in such a cheerful and lively voice that even Rias seemed at a loss for words.
"Y-Yes… thank you for asking. You came for Sona's class visit?"
"Yes, but Sona-chan was so mean! She didn't tell me about the class visits today! Hmph, Onee-chan was so shocked I was about to attack Heaven!" Serafall exclaimed childishly with tears in her eyes.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that, Serafall," said Gabriel gently.
Serafall turned her gaze and widened her eyes upon seeing who was standing next to Gilgamesh.
It was the woman who haunted her nightmares, a monster in human clothing who had been pursuing her for as long as Serafall could remember.
Her greatest rival, even beyond Grayfia.
The Seraph Gabriel.
"What are you doing here, Gabriel? Did you come to attack me!? Attack So-tan?" said Serafall with such hostility in her voice that it surprised the younger ones.
Gabriel shook her head in denial.
"I came to accompany Gilgamesh-sama," said Gabriel, smiling and pointing to Gilgamesh beside her.
Serafall stared in surprise.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Seraph Gabriel," said Sirzechs, approaching.
"Ah, Sirzechs Lucifer, it's an honor to see you again," said Gabriel, smiling lightly.
"Though it's surprising you're here, I suppose the fact that Gilgamesh is the Strongest Exorcist explains it. You should've revealed your identity, Gilgamesh; this could've sparked a war," said Sirzechs, narrowing his eyes.
When he discovered Gilgamesh was the Strongest Exorcist, he was terribly worried about his sister and even thought it was an attempt at war by Heaven. But after careful analysis, he realized that wasn't the case.
"Hoho, think you can defeat the Crimson Satan?" asked Gilgamesh with amusement as his eyes glowed.
Before anyone could speak, Gabriel gave a small tap on Gilgamesh's head, making him lower his power.
"Please don't start a fight, Gilgamesh-sama," said Gabriel, smiling, and Gilgamesh grumbled.
Serafall widened her eyes at the closeness between Gilgamesh and Gabriel. A strange feeling rose in her chest before she dismissed it, and a smile crossed her face.
"Gil-kun!!!" shouted Serafall as she approached Gilgamesh, grabbed his hands, and started shaking them. "You haven't come to see me! That's so mean! We agreed to save the world with our ice magic! A Hero and his Magical Girl," said Serafall as fake tears welled up in her eyes.
Gilgamesh looked on, amused, wondering when he had agreed to help Serafall.
Gabriel watched this before pushing Serafall away from Gilgamesh, to the Maou's surprise.
"Please don't bother Gilgamesh-sama," said Gabriel, making everyone widen their eyes.
Serafall stared for a moment, knowing her rival, before a mischievous smile appeared on her face.
Serafall quickly jumped and hugged Gilgamesh tightly, to everyone's surprise, while looking at Gabriel with narrowed eyes.
Gabriel frowned upon seeing 'her' favorite person being hugged by another woman, and worse, it was her self-proclaimed rival. A strange, uneasy feeling began to manifest in the pit of her stomach, and she didn't like it at all. Her halo appeared momentarily and flickered before she calmed herself, and it vanished. Even though she had only held his hand a few times, hugged him, gone on missions with him, and fought by his side, it was enough to make her heart race whenever he was near. Now, seeing him being fawned over by Serafall made her feel a bit sick inside.
In a swift display of skill worthy of the Strongest Woman in Heaven, Gabriel quickly separated Serafall from Gilgamesh, to everyone's surprise.
Gabriel promptly placed herself in front of Gilgamesh.
"Please don't bother him, Serafall," said Gabriel to the Pink Maou.
Serafall stared, perplexed, before understanding what was happening.
Her rival was in love with Gilgamesh.
A huge smile appeared on Serafall's face as she found a way to strike at Gabriel.
Serafall couldn't kill Gabriel, as that would start a new war, but if she took Gilgamesh from Gabriel, it would be the greatest blow against her rival.
And as a bonus, Serafall would have Gilgamesh with her, and the Pink Maou admitted she had a crush on the Golden Hero.
Unaware of Serafall's plans, everyone stared in shock as she began laughing darkly, like a villain whose plan had succeeded.
"I think I'll go," said Gilgamesh before turning and leaving, leaving everyone staring at Serafall in alarm.
Gabriel, who was by Gilgamesh's side, turned to him.
"Where are we going?" asked Gabriel, smiling slightly at having Gilgamesh's full attention.
Gilgamesh looked at her and smiled.
"How about lunch?"
**A Few Hours Later.**
Gilgamesh looked at Gabriel, amused. It was hilarious to see one of the Four Great Seraphs, the strongest woman in Heaven, fidgeting and looking around nervously like a shy human girl. She squirmed when a guy looked at her inappropriately and moved closer to Gilgamesh, but the next moment, she'd gaze at a shop with wide, sparkling eyes, yet refrained from voicing her desire to go there. It was like watching a shy child visiting a park for the first time.
Gilgamesh mentally patted himself on the back for his persuasion skills. He had convinced Gabriel, who, as a powerful Seraph, had never visited the human world outside of work or necessity, to come along, practically dragging her out.
They were in Norway. Gilgamesh had many portals connected to various countries worldwide, most for work purposes, but some were just for fun. He wanted Gabriel to have a good time, but the problem was that even in a simple white summer dress, Gabriel stood out in the crowd. Well, he couldn't blame anyone. Gabriel's soft, shiny blonde hair, striking midnight blue eyes, and otherworldly figure would make even a gay man stare.
Gilgamesh was wearing his usual outfit: black pants and a black t-shirt with a white jacket. He took off the jacket and placed it over Gabriel, who tilted her head in confusion.
"This should hide her voluptuous figure. And now…"
Gilgamesh looked around for a specific shop, and when he found it, he smiled and headed there with his companion. He bought a sunhat and placed it on Gabriel, who let out a cute giggle.
"There, now no one can see her face."
The attention didn't decrease; it just shifted. Gilgamesh, in his tight t-shirt, was drawing the attention of women left and right. But it didn't bother him because he was entirely focused on Gabriel.
Though it clearly bothered Gabriel.
Gabriel wondered, when was the last time she had this much fun? She always viewed and admired the world from above the clouds, but being on the ground and seeing everything up close was a completely new experience. It was as if she could truly appreciate the beauties of nature and the virtues of humanity. From morning to afternoon, Gabriel visited various tourist attractions with Gilgamesh. They covered most of Norway's tourist cities: Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim, and Tromsø. It was possible to see all these places thanks to Gilgamesh's teleportation ability.
Gilgamesh had taken Gabriel on outings like this several times before, but she never tired of it.
At lunchtime, they took their time. During this period, they talked about themselves—well, mostly Gilgamesh telling Gabriel about his conquests and struggles from his travels before and after joining the Church. Gabriel didn't talk much, as she was captivated by Gilgamesh's stories—tales of traveling the world, meeting unique beings, and making new friends. The way she listened was like a girl hearing stories about her favorite hero. She sighed when Gilgamesh recounted a tense moment, laughed when he described a funny situation, and pouted when he deliberately paused in the middle of an exciting part.
They had a lot of fun, but it didn't end there.
After lunch, they explored their surroundings supernaturally, becoming invisible to human eyes. It was Gilgamesh's idea, and Gabriel had a blast. Observing everything while being there and not being there at the same time gave a mischievous thrill. At night, Gabriel played with children in a park, and the parents didn't mind, as if they somehow knew their children were in good hands. After that, they went to watch the sunset.
The sunset should be a normal sight in Heaven, but watching it from the mountains at Geirangerfjord was breathtakingly beautiful. Throughout the sunset, Gabriel stood on the cliff, watching it without blinking or moving.
Gilgamesh was also speechless, but for another reason. With the sunset before her, Gabriel's hair—no, her entire body—seemed to radiate a soft golden light. It was as if her body hummed in harmony with the sunset. In Gilgamesh's eyes, standing behind her, the Seraph became part of nature, a painting drawn by a celestial being.
He was stunned by this scene, but the next one shocked him completely.
It was night, and they were in an isolated place. The mountains in the distance, the dancing aurora in the sky, the soft hum of nature, and in the midst of it all, a stunningly beautiful girl laughed and danced. The scene was so beautiful and serene that it made Gilgamesh wonder if he was dreaming. He couldn't blink or breathe, as if afraid the slightest movement would wake him from this surreal scene.
But suddenly, Gabriel stopped and blushed. "Sorry, I got carried away."
Gilgamesh blinked. Then he laughed to himself.
"And here I thought I'd seen all the beautiful things the world has to offer."
"I actually enjoyed it a lot," Gilgamesh's response made Gabriel blush more.
She turned. "I've never seen this world like this. Every time I descended from Heaven, it was to deliver a message from there." She looked up and sighed. "The places I could go were monitored, the people I could see were preselected, the things I could do were limited. I didn't have the luxury of…"
"Of experiencing what it's like to be normal."
Gabriel turned sharply, her eyes wide. Gilgamesh laughed at the sight.
"Why do you think I hid my true identity? Yes, the first reason was to protect my family. The second reason was this." Gilgamesh gestured around him. "To enjoy my life the way I want, without any supernatural incidents coming after me."
Gabriel started laughing, which soon turned into full-blown laughter, and Gilgamesh joined in. When their laughter died down, Gabriel looked at the sky again.
"Time to go, huh? We still have the Three Factions meeting," Gilgamesh asked.
"You know," Gabriel still wasn't looking at Gilgamesh, but he could see her face blushing. "I'd like our future meetings to be like this. Out and in different beautiful countries."
"Like the date we had today," Gilgamesh smiled.
Gabriel didn't say anything, but her cheeks blushed more, answering Gilgamesh's question.
Gilgamesh bowed politely.
"If that's what Lady Gabriel desires, this humble mortal will do his best to comply."
And he was surprised once again. The moment he raised his head, Gabriel was right in front of him, but before he could do or say anything, she gently kissed him on the cheek.
Then she turned and quickly vanished.
Gilgamesh stood there, wide-eyed and mouth agape. He didn't know how much time passed before he could properly compose himself. But when he did, he was certain of one thing.
He was in love with the Seraph, something he already knew.
But for the love of the late Biblical God, that was incredible.
**Some Time Later.**
**Gilgamesh's House.**
After his date with Gabriel, Gilgamesh returned home to prepare some things before the Three Factions meeting.
Gabriel, it seemed, hadn't returned to Heaven. She had gone to Gilgamesh's house and stayed in a room, apparently wanting to talk to him.
The King of Heroes was going to see her, but he had two things to do first.
Currently, Arthur and Xenovia stood before Gilgamesh, as the King of Heroes had called them.
"What did you want to talk about, Senpai?" asked Xenovia, receiving a curious nod from Arthur.
Since Xenovia had come to live with them, she had trained a lot and grown attached to everyone in the house, especially Gilgamesh, whose love for her had grown even stronger.
"Well, I wanted to give you both something," said Gilgamesh, snapping his fingers.
Two golden halos appeared beside Gilgamesh, and from them emerged two swords emanating immense holy power.
They were Ascalon and Excalibur from the DxD universe.
Both widened their eyes upon seeing the swords.
"These are Ascalon and Excalibur. I'm giving them to you," said Gilgamesh, smiling.
"Why?" asked Arthur, curious.
"Well, I really don't have any use for them, and Xenovia, if I remember correctly, is a dual-wielder, and Excalibur would suit you well, Arthur," said Gilgamesh to the two, who nodded.
"We'll make good use of them," said Arthur alongside Xenovia, and Gilgamesh agreed.
Gilgamesh watched as the two took their respective swords and left.
Gilgamesh sighed as he decided to go to his room to see what Gabriel wanted.
**Gilgamesh's Room.**
Gilgamesh walked to his room and opened the door.
He saw Gabriel sitting serenely on his bed. Gilgamesh walked over and sat on a sofa in front of the bed.
When Gilgamesh was about to speak to Gabriel, the strongest woman in Heaven spoke first.
"I've always admired you," said Gabriel, smiling lightly.
Gilgamesh stayed quiet, knowing Gabriel wasn't finished.
"Since I was created, I was always protected by my father and brothers. I was never useful to them and always got in their way."
"When you joined the Church, I thought I had finally done something good. I always watched you when you were in the Church," said Gabriel, smiling.
"You were like a star, or the sun that illuminated everyone. Everyone needed you, and you helped them. You even helped me, someone you didn't need to," said Gabriel, smiling.
In her entire life, Gabriel had never met a single person who was so powerful yet so kind. So brave yet so humble. His golden divinity was a reflection of his heart. Of course, there was a bit of darkness buried deep within him, but who didn't have that? Even her Father, the being who created them, had a certain darkness within him, especially toward the demon race. If the Creator could have it, she believed everyone had at least the right to have their own. She herself had it, for a time. So, she felt it wasn't fair to judge someone based on that. It was actions that defined a person, not their race or anything else.
And not for a second did Gabriel regret the feelings she developed for Gilgamesh.
"I love you," said Gabriel with such passion that even Gilgamesh's heart beat faster.
"I know how you feel about me, and I feel the same," said Gabriel, who, as an Angel, could sense people's feelings.
"I know what's going through your mind. You fear the consequences of your feelings. You think I'll reject you, or worse, that I'll accept them. You're afraid that loving me will lead to my fall, that I'll blame you for losing my Father's blessing."
She stood from the bed, shuffling to stand in front of him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she held him in place as she sat on his lap. They were so close to each other—not only was she sitting on his lap, but her soft chest was pressed against his, the two friends gazing deeply into each other's eyes.
Their hearts beat as one as their heads drew closer.
Love makes you do foolish things. It's not a thing of the mind but of the heart. Under its sway, men and women have done everything from moving mountains to committing genocide. Love makes you abandon logic and do stupid, dangerous things.
He was afraid to confess his feelings, and so was she. They knew this wasn't a fleeting attraction, but at the same time, they harbored fears that their love might be temporary. After all, she was an immortal Angel sworn to protect humanity against the forces of darkness, and he, with all his powers and abilities, was still mortal.
Both knew their own feelings and understood the other's, but they couldn't take that final step into the forbidden.
At least… not yet.
For now, they embraced tenderly, their foreheads touching as they gazed deeply at each other. For the first time in a long while, he could feel warmth rising to his cheeks, staining his usually stoic complexion red. He couldn't help it as he blushed with the prolonged contact, struggling to keep his gaze at eye level. He, a man who had slept with enough women to lose count and regularly lay with a Fallen Angel and a creature of sin, had even lain with Goddesses like Aphrodite.
Though the Greek Goddess of Love had become obsessed with him, believing he was her true love.
But with Gabriel, he was blushing like an innocent schoolboy.
Because Gabriel was the first woman Gilgamesh ever loved.
Even when he slept with other women, it was only lust, as his love was always with Gabriel.
Even when Gilgamesh fell in love with Valerie, it still wasn't the same. The Seraph was and always would be the first and strongest love in Gilgamesh's life.
He realized his hold on her was tightening slightly with this thought. Perhaps it was the innocence or overall purity she exuded, but he could feel the barriers he'd built around himself slowly crumbling the longer he stayed with her. It was wonderful to just be Gilgamesh again, not the King of Heroes, the Golden Beast of Destruction with the power to defeat Gods. Now, he was just Gilgamesh, a normal person.
A few centimeters remained. In the final moment before claiming her soft lips, he turned away, startling her.
"Gil?" she asked, placing a hand on his cheek.
"Are we really doing this?" he wondered. "What would your brother say if he saw us now?"
Her grip tightened, and her eyes took on a hard look.
"Of the many gifts God gave to man, love has always been one of the most potent. The Father watched and saw how it brought happiness and gave strength to those who followed their hearts. Marriage is one of the sacred sacraments of the Church; do you think my Father, the God who practiced agape, would deny any of His children the chance to feel what it's like to be in love?"
"No," Gilgamesh replied. "But what would your Father say about us?"
She smiled sadly for a moment before answering.
"Love between Angels was rare to begin with. Love between two of His greatest children even rarer. Of those I know, the greatest was perhaps between Hadraniel and Azazel." Seeing the disbelief on his face, she continued. "Oh, yes, he was once married and happy, one of the few fortunate among us to have found a partner to love wholeheartedly. And Hadraniel loved him, some say even more than the Father Himself, but the Father didn't mind. Here were two of His children enjoying one of the greatest gifts bestowed upon them, and He was content to watch and smile at their antics."
She paused, a look of nostalgia crossing her face.
"Back then, Azazel was far from the smooth seducer he is now. He was a stuttering, clumsy mess who had no idea how to talk to a woman. It was Hadraniel who grew tired of him dancing around the issue, and one day after a mission, she confronted him. No one knows exactly what happened behind that closed door, at least no one besides my Father, but when it opened, Azazel had a goofy smile on his face, and Hadraniel was beaming."
"But then he betrayed her." Her voice hardened, as close to hatred as he thought an Angel could get without falling.
"You've never seen a heartbroken Angel before, and pray you never do. Angels aren't just God's soldiers but also beings of love and light. When we love, we hold nothing back; our souls intertwine with our partners. To have that love ripped away and betrayed… there's nothing more tragic. For a hundred days and a hundred nights, the halls of Heaven were filled with Hadraniel's cries. Nothing we did could comfort her, not even the Father could shake her from her grief."
Another pause, the longest yet. He could feel her struggling with her emotions through the budding bond they shared.
Placing his hands on her shoulders, he tried to flood their bond with positive emotions, helping her maintain control over her anger.
"Then, when the hundredth night ended, so did Hadraniel." He could see in her memories the majestic splendor of Heaven marred by the weeping of its Angel. The image shifted to show a beautiful Angel with long brown hair, hiding her face behind her hands as she wept. She knelt on the ground, her hair splayed around her, and no matter what her brothers and sisters did, she refused to be moved. Finally, as the clock struck and a new day began to dawn, she let out one final cry before collapsing. Her body erupted in flames, the immolation so great that nothing remained but a scorch mark on the alabaster marble.
The Angel who embodied God's majesty was no more.
An Angel moved to clean the spot.
"Leave it!" a voice commanded, and all the Angels froze at the order. The voice was one of resolute authority, of unimaginable power and majesty.
"Father?" The voice came from his own lips, and he finally realized he was watching the scene through Gabriel's memories. His mortal eyes were unable to perceive the existence that was the Biblical God in His true form. To try was to invite pain unlike any other, as mortals were not meant to gaze upon the divine in all its splendor.
"Leave it, daughter," the voice commanded again, the ashes of one of His beloved children rising into the air and flowing into an urn. "I look upon this spot and see the death of one of my children and the betrayal of another. Let it be known from now on that Azazel has been cast out from Heaven, never to be offered redemption."
The scene ended, and he found himself gazing into the eyes of Heaven's favorite daughter. But now, her eyes were not sparkling sapphires but a dull blue, wet with unshed tears. They embraced tightly, the memory affecting them deeply.
Gilgamesh now understood.
Gilgamesh knew Michael liked him and even supported his feelings for Gabriel, but the Leader of Heaven feared Gabriel would end up like Hadraniel.
He wouldn't let that happen.
"Some sins are too grave to be forgiven," she finished ominously. "But to answer your question, yes, this is happening. And as for what my brother might say, I don't care. I know what I'm feeling, and I know what you're feeling. It's something I'm willing to fight for and go against everything I've known. As for what my Father might think… I'm sure He would be happy for me. After all, it's not every day His eldest daughter finds a new meaning for her life."
Then, to Gabriel's astonishment, she saw a single tear fall from one of Gilgamesh's eyes.
Gabriel had never seen Gilgamesh so emotional.
But the tear wasn't one of sadness; it was one of joy.
Gilgamesh simply pulled Gabriel into a tight embrace.
The moment he hugged her, she melted into his arms as his warmth began to soothe her troubled mind. Within seconds, all negative thoughts vanished as if they were never there. She loved this feeling; a part of her wanted to stay like this forever.
When they parted, Gilgamesh looked at Gabriel and began to move closer to her face, while the Seraph only closed her eyes, accepting what was to come.
Gilgamesh leaned in, and their lips connected.
It wasn't a kiss filled with desire; it was something simple yet filled with all the passion both could muster.
From Gabriel's back, twelve white wings emerged in a flash.
Contrary to what might be expected, they didn't darken.
They shone even brighter, illuminating the entire room, reacting to the love Gabriel felt.
A pure love.
When they parted and their foreheads touched, it had been a brief kiss, but it was perfect for both.
"I'm surprised you were so bold, Gabriel," said Gilgamesh, chuckling a bit at the Seraph's flushed face.
"W-W-Well, Valerie-sama said I should be more honest with my feelings," said Gabriel, trying to control her blush.
Gilgamesh couldn't help but sigh; it always had to involve Valerie.
Almost every perverted thing that happened in Gilgamesh's life had Valerie's hand in it.
Gilgamesh even thought Valerie had cameras in his room and was watching them at that moment.
Though Gilgamesh also thought Valerie might like both men and women, judging by the comments she made to Mordred.
"Gil," Gabriel called, smiling.
Gilgamesh smiled before giving Gabriel a small kiss, making the Seraph blush.
"Though I wish we had more time, we have to go to the Three Factions meeting," said Gilgamesh, receiving a nod from Gabriel.
"But know one thing: no matter what happens, I will always love you," said Gilgamesh with a genuine smile.
Gabriel couldn't help but smile, feeling the love Gilgamesh radiated.
There was nothing purer than the love of an Angel.
The love of an Angel and her Hero.