Chapter 22 - Engagement and Misfortune

As she took a step her heel clicked against the ground oppressively and in her brilliance when the door opened in front of herself light pooled into the room as though she were a living spotlight. Her golden hair shone like the sunlight as it flowed behind her however her grey eyes were visibly filled with rage breaking this tranquil and divine image.

The Seraph Gabriel was very much not having a good day. After her precious daughter kidnapped the Gremory heir and the Sitri heir, those damn Devils had been holding it over her head constantly. Sirzechs especially had been pressuring her about the issue. It wasn't as though he was actually offended or anything, it's just that like the dirty no good mindless beast he is after smelling blood in the water he wants to push his luck.

That was why she was currently in the Gremory household's main waiting room. It was lavish with ornate decorations purposefully everywhere from the walls to the carpet everything at the very least felt incredibly expensive.

Gabriel frowned at this and thought, (As expected of a Devil.) With clear contempt.

"Why did you call me here Devil." Gabriel spat out towards the red haired leader of the Devils.

"Well, it has been two months since I proposed my idea to you so I thought you might have forgotten about it." Sirzechs said with a smirk as he sat on a comfy sofa wearing an expensive suit that emphasized his handsome features. Gabriel however didn't care about this and scowled at the man's words. She wasn't even attempting to hide her complete and utter contempt for Sirzechs as she sat down on the couch farthest from him.

"I told you that I would THINK about it boy! All you have to do is be patient!"

"The kids aren't getting any younger. This should happen as early as possible for the effect we want it to have." Sirzechs ignored the Seraph's rudeness instead choosing to try to be reasonable. Unfortunately Gabriel wasn't someone that could be reasoned with when it came to negotiations with races not named Human or Angel.

"This is my daughter's future! An adulterous Devil like yourself may think marriage is no big deal, but we Angels live by principles that aren't just RAPE and MURDER!" Gabriel yelled at him. She was particularly heated because the issue concerned her very own daughter. "We Angels aren't merely savage beasts." She continued in a more cold tone.

"Your way of thinking is far too old fashioned Gabriel. These days we Devils are far closer to Humans than any Angel." Even Sirzechs' patience has its limits and he could easily tell that simply speaking politely wouldn't get him anywhere so he threw a minor insult back at her. "For peace between Angels and Devils this marriage is almost a must."

"Shut up boy. You don't think Michael hasn't told me that enough times already?" Gabriel asked sarcastically flicking her hair out of her face smoothly. "My daughter must marry someone she loves!"

In truth, Gabriel didn't care if it was a man or another woman as long as her daughter was happy. Indeed perhaps if it were another woman that could be an annoying scandal to deal with but she could simply ask Michael to use his honey dipped words on the masses and everything would be alright.

What mattered the most was her daughter's happiness, nothing else. Even if it meant war with these filthy Devils Gabriel would not compromise!

Sirzechs had known long ago that Gabriel had been becoming more peaceful in recent years due to the birth of her daughter, but now after seeing her unwavering eyes he could also tell the Gabriel of the past was most definitely still in there. Her fury was now reserved for her daughter's sake.

He could understand the feeling as well given that he too was a parent.

"How about we compromise them?" Sirzechs asks, folding his hands together as he leans forward in a less casual manner.

"What are you asking for Devil?"

"If I can acquire proof that Cebrail is in love with Rias will you accept the engagement then?"

"I suppose that could work. However, it's completely impossible. My daughter is like me! She'll be a virgin for over 1000 years!" Gabriel said it quite proudly but Sirzechs looked at her with pity. "I wish to add a few conditions to this however. This Rias girl had better not be sleeping around!"

"That is a given."

"She cannot attempt to coerce my daughter with force!"

(I doubt Rias could do that…) Sirzechs thought back to how strong Cebrail was and denied the possibility in his head however he still answered her rather professionally.

"Of course."

"And my daughter must have a way of breaking the engagement if she needs to!" Gabriel paused and then added, "Though obviously my daughter could never fall for a Devil!"

"I hear she likes Roygun quite a bit though?" Sirzechs commented with a smirk now returning back to his more relaxed posture.

"Ugh, don't remind me. To think she idolizes that pink haired thing over her very own mother! It makes my heart ache!"

"If those are all your conditions then without fail they shall be done." Sirzechs stood up from his seat and bowed in a gentleman like manner prompting Gabriel to stand as well. She, of course, did not bow and instead looked down on the red headed Devil coldly, her suspicion of his intentions was all too clear however surprisingly she didn't make any rude comments.

"Just know Devil my daughter won't fall for any of your underhanded tricks. She will fall in love fairly!" With that declaration Gabriel left the room with her head held high.

Sirzechs smirked a bit…

(All according to plan.)

–

A young child with short blue hair and matching blue eyes perhaps around the age of thirteen was walking around her clan compound alone. It was the main estate of the Kushihashi clan, one of the five principal clans and the one which was blessed by the Azure Dragon.

The child was Kojika Kushihashi, a child of the clan born cursed by a misfortune god.

Her mother had died giving birth to her, her father the head of the clan injured his hands leaving him unable to wield a sword again, and even caused an outbreak of evil spirits before she had turned six.

She was a person that had misfortune always following her closely, making her not only a danger to herself but also to the people around her.

This is why despite being a mere thirteen years old and born with decent supernatural powers from the Azure Dragon she was shunned by her fellow clan members and even her father. Her father believed that she would be detrimental to her younger brother's growth.

Her younger brother Seiryuu Kushihashi had shown such great potential that her father had named him directly after their dragon benefactor. He was the exact opposite of Kojika, a person blessed by several Shinto gods from birth and a person of extraordinary natural capabilities.

He was a genius beyond measure and at just ten years old he was already capable of beating Kojika whenever they trained together. Perhaps it was a bit frustrating for her as an older sister but more than anything else she was incredibly proud.

Currently, she was going to go visit him so that she could give him a necklace she had made in her free time. Though her father wouldn't like it and may even punish her she didn't particularly care, she was already used to it for the most part.

Soon she arrived at her brother's room in the main house and crawled in through the back window. Before she could even take two steps her brother appeared from behind a door having sensed her the moment she grew close to his room.

He was a boy that anyone could tell would be handsome when he grew up as he hadn't grown into his looks yet. With dazzling yellow eyes and dark grey boarding on black hair. He was also noticeably taller than his sister despite the difference in age, likely due to their different diets.

As in his heart, even their father wishes she would just die like the rest of the clan he didn't ever check to make sure she was doing well meaning oftentimes meals wouldn't come to her small little shack on the very edge of the estate.

"Seiryuu, I made something for you!" Kojika exclaimed, presenting the necklace to her younger brother. It wasn't anything all that fancy, it was an interesting looking smooth blue rock which emitted a faint glow tied up with some strong black string.

"Sister…"

"I know. I know. I'll get in trouble but I just had to give this to you! Haven't you learned a new sealing technique? Consider it a gift!" Kojika, not taking no for an answer, put the necklace in his hand and he stared at it with a certain sadness.

Just as Kojika was about to comfort her younger brother an explosion rocked the estate, surprising herself and her brother.

Quickly the two ran out of the house to find multiple smoke clouds rising into the sky a distance away and more explosions happening.

Seiryuu looked towards his sister in fear Kojika gripped his hand in a supportive gesture, however neither of them knew that this would be the last time they would see one another for a very, very long time as after this their father would kick Kojika out of the clan for bringing nothing but sorrow.