130 You are too naive, Azazel.

The way back on Grigori's bus was very uncomfortable at the start for everyone. The car was already complete on the way out, and now that Koga and Suzaku had joined they were far too tight. There weren't enough seats for everyone, so Sae and Lavinia had ended up sitting on top of Tobio and Jason respectively. Logically thinking, Vali should have climbed on top of Tobio as he was the least burdensome, but he had insisted on sitting in the co-drivers seat.

Jason had tried to reason with him, but there was no way to convince the boy. Vali had to sit in the front row, yes or yes. Lavinia and Sae had taken advantage to innocently offer themselves for the tedious burden of sitting on top of Jason and Tobio. The boys had wanted to complain that they were the real burden, but they made the wise decision to keep quiet.

Along the way, Jason asked Lavinia.

"Has Medea talked to you?"

Lavinia nodded. A sad touch passed through her eyes but disappeared quickly.

"Your answer?

Lavinia did not answer her question and asked another.

"Is she really your wife?"

"Yes, she is my first wife. "

Jason had nothing to hide. The sad look returned to Lavinia's eyes, also to Natsume although Jason had not noticed, but she captured a detail in Jason's words. Suzaku felt something strange inside her that she didn't understand when she heard that he was married.

"Your first woman?"

Jason understood what Lavinia was asking. Thankfully surprised, he would never have thought that the simple-minded girl could be so cunning.

"Yes, she's my first wife."

Jason didn't forget to wink at her, causing the beautiful blonde girl to blush. Unconscious to Jason, Natsume clenched her fists with determination and Suzaku had a strange glow in her crimson eyes. Who knows what the girl was up to now?

Barakiel was speechless as he listened to the conversation between Lavinia and Jason. He worried when he saw the expression on his "niece's" face.

"Suzaku..."

"Is something wrong, Barakiel-ojisama?"

Suzaku smiled at Barakiel. Barakiel shook slightly, that smile reminded him too much of a smile Shuri had made in the past. It was the smile that was telling him that he was better quiet and that he would regret it if he continued to speak.

"Nothing."

Suzaku nodded, but the smile did not disappear from his face. Barakiel looked away without daring to keep looking at Suzaku.

"Wow, you really impress me, Barakiel. We really learn a lot from you." Vali could not miss this moment.

Jason went back to the previous topic.

"Your answer?

"I haven't accepted yet. She's given me some time to think about it, told me to tell you when I come to a conclusion."

"As you say. Here's a humble messenger for when you make up your mind."

Lavinia smiled slightly. She dropped and leaned her back on Jason's chest.

"Am I bothering you?"

She looked at Jason's face to see his reaction.

"Not at all, rest all you want."

"Mmm," She nodded and closed her eyes.

Everyone was stunned to see how the two flirted without caring about each other's presence. Were they not ashamed? Those who thought that realized it was a useless question. Jason had no reason to be embarrassed. He should be proud to have a beauty like Lavinia on his lap. And Lavinia? She didn't directly know the word shame, and everyone knew very well that she had air instead of the brain.

Sae was thinking about how Jason and Lavinia were developing. She imitated Lavinia's actions.

"SAE!" Tobio blushed at the sight of Sae's actions.

"IDIOT!"

PAH!

Tobio took a slap on his face. Sae readjusted in, totally flushed. They couldn't be as dense as Jason and Lavinia. Neither Tobio could remain as calm as Jason nor was Sae brave enough to repeat Lavinia's actions.

Everyone laughed when they saw what had happened, which only caused an even greater blush on the part of Tobio and Sae.

"I don't see you fine, Tobio. We're going to have to start special training sooner than planned." Jason joked with him.

Who would have thought Tobio would take the question very seriously.

"I can't wait. When do we start?"

Jason was startled. He had warned Tobio that the training wasn't going to be simple and most likely, the boy was going to want to be dead at first.

"Rest this week, next weekend we'll start."

"Yes, sir!"

The journey continued peacefully. Taking advantage of the calm after the storm, the bus passengers decided to rest as there were still a few hours left before arriving in Grigori.

"We're here," Suzaku announced.

Everyone woke up slowly. Sae had finally slept on Tobio's chest. Tobio pretended to be asleep so that Sae wouldn't be too embarrassed, although the slime stain on his shirt betrayed her.

"Wake up, ice princess," Jason whispered in Lavinia's ear.

"Ahn, five more minutes."

"Not five minutes, not ten, get up now." Jason gave Lavinia a pinch in the ass.

"Auch, that hurts" Lavinia pouted.

"Sleeping too much can make you fat."

Not only Lavinia, but Natsume, Shigune, and Sae also jumped quickly.

"I'm kidding."

The four of them threw piercing glances at Jason. Jason pretended they didn't exist.

Vali was sitting in the copilot's seat. Suzaku was playing with the young Lucifer's cheeks, and Vali didn't seem to wake up.

Jason sighed when he saw this scene. Who was more childish of the two? Suzaku playing with Vali's face, or Vali sleeping peacefully?

"Stop playing with him, Suzaku."

"Moo, he's so cute."

Jason opened the door to Vali's seat, untied his seat belt and carried it on his back.

"Vali has used his Balance Breaker, and he wasn't ready for that yet, he's exhausted."

They all went inside the apartment. Barakiel and Suzaku bid farewell, the former returning to Grigori's headquarters and the latter returning to the Himejima family.

Jason took Vali to his room, put him to bed, and covered him with blankets. He heard the little one's voice as he was about to leave.

"Aniki"

"Yes?"

"You are Argos"

It wasn't a question. Vali was making a statement and wanted confirmation from Jason.

"Yes."

Jason heard Vali's relieved sigh. The boy was sure Jason was Argos because Albion had confirmed it. He just wanted Jason to tell him the truth. Vali had woken up when Jason had carried him on his back and had been hesitating to ask Jason and not.

"Why did you kidnap Barakiel's wife and daughter?"

"Did I kidnap them? If I hadn't appeared that day, Shuri would have died, Akeno would have ended up in the peerage of a devil and Barakiel would have been eight years without going to see his daughter because of shame and fear. Do you still think I kidnapped them?"

Vali did not answer. He wasn't sure if what Jason was saying was true or not, but knowing Barakiel's personality and the attitude of the Himejima clan, it wouldn't be strange if that happened.

"I know Aniki doesn't mistreat them; you're not that kind of person."

"For them, being in that place is the safest thing, no matter how much it takes Barakiel to accept it."

Jason left the room and went to the living room. Everyone had gone to sleep. Azazel had made reforms while they were looking for Koga and had created a room for him inside the apartment.

Speaking of the king of Rome. Jason met Azazel when he entered the living room. The governor of Grigori was sitting on a sofa while he waited for Jason.

"Good work. No one has died, just as you promised."

Jason said nothing and sat in front of Azazel.

"Barakiel has told me about your achievements. Your Aias was able to hold out long enough to create an escape route for a badly wounded Barakiel against attacks by more than a dozen of the most terrible Sacred Gears and a Cadre level. Besides, you were charging an unconscious Ouryuu, which is also the strongest in history."

"Get to the point."

"Hehe, it seems my eloquence doesn't work against you."

Azazel continued.

"I invited you to Grigori because I felt the great power that lay within you, a power with unlimited potential but not yet developed. I thought of giving you my `protección' as you grew up, and in return, you helped SlashDog and Vali grow. But how naive I was, you've never needed my protection."

"Is it because of Medea?"

Azazel nodded.

"With such a strong woman on your side, how could you be in danger?"

At Azazel's words, Jason laughed.

"Hahaha, as you say, you are very naive Azazel."