Chapter 12: Rain

Rain.

Ever since he was a kid, Alex has always like the rain. For him, it was calming, a time where he can just sit back and drink a hot cup of coffee.

Its different from winter, that is a season that Alex never really like. He has no idea why, he just do.

But now though?

"Stupid rain." Alex grumbled.

"Hn, Hn," Yaya nodded, "Yaya couldn't come to the Cat Gods Gathering because of this raind."

Yes, it was now the morning after his talk Emi. And the Yuragi group was preparing to head out to sightsee.

But the rain was heavy, and accompanied by lightnings and thunders. So much so that they couldn't even go out of the hotel.

"...Too bad we couldn't enjoy the trip, Oh well, Hisui, let's go get some hot cup of coffee and just play Deity's Domain back in the room."

"Hmm~ I like milk though~"

"Then let's go get milk and coffee."

Alex glared at them, and his arms reached out to Lucifer's collar, stopping him from moving.

"Dude...it's raining, why can't we just sit back, relax, and enjoy a game?" Lucifer groaned.

"This rain is unnatural," Sagiri spoke, she looked around, and when she didn't notice anyone near them, she continue, "I forgot to tell you all about this, but last night, I encountered a member of the Main House of Yoinozaka Family....he, he hinted that he was your brother Nonko."

After all, it was Sagiri who was assigned to observe Nonko. And that man last night said that he knew of her as the one to observe his sister.

Everyone appeared surprised as Nonko just raised an eyebrow before shaking her head with a smirk, "....Him huh? Well, I hope he didn't try anything to you Sagiri-chan, that brat is sadistic, arrogant and perverted, and also a bit of a warmonger and a battle maniac after all."

Sagiri shook her head, "He did try to touch me, but we were interrupted by another Spiritual Power that was a match to his."

Nonko put down her glass of wine as she released a soft humm, "....I see, so the Main Houses are finally getting involved huh? Then I guess this rain was caused by them."

Suzuno furrowed her brows, "What do you mean Nonko-dono?"

It was Sagiri who answered, "A Bounded Field couldn't withstand a fight between Transcendentals, much less a group of them, unless they spent a lot of time and resources in making it. But this is war, no one is dumb enough to do that. So they used this...let's call it, Artificial Rain to cover their fight."

Nonko nodded, "...No one would go out of their house with this heavy rain, no, this storm. And the damage they did to the outside world could be covered by this, just blame them all to the storm, and if that wasn't enough then blame it to the earthquake."

"B-B-But...that's too much!" Yuuna exclaimed, "W-What about the innocent people?!"

"...Unfortunate casualties." Sagiri answered. Sadly, she already have some experience in this type of hiding.

When the people who are fighting are too strong for the bounded field, then just make an artificial storm and the like, then just blame all the damages done to that artificially created disasters.

"Tha-That's..." Yuuna was speechless.

Rika too, was stunned by that revelations. But then she suddenly thought of something as she approached Sagiri and grabbed her shoulders.

"Th-The Earthquake at Kobe..." Rika spoke as Sagiri just looked confused, "Around ten years, there's a powerful Earthquake that hit Kobe...my hometown...is that artificially created too?!"

Sagiri blinked her eyes before shaking her head, "I'm sorry, I'm still young at that time and only started my training, so I don't know much."

"That's..."

"I know about it," Nonko spoke as everyone turned towards her, "I was there during that time too, though I didn't see what happened, I just heard it."

Rika walked towards her, "T-Then...what happened? Please tell me."

Nonko looked at her and sighed, "It wasn't an artificially created one, just so you know. During that time, I was just a hunter, hunting Evil Youkais and Hollows, and in one of my missions I happen to have heard about about a White Hollow suddenly appearing in Kobe, it was powerful, and it took a Captain Class Exorcist from Gotei 13 sacrificing his life to exterminate it. They did set up a bounded field though, but apparently, the two was too strong that their battle has affected the real world, causing the earthquake at Kobe."

"Tha...So...my friends...classmates...and many other poeple didn't die because of natural disaster...but because they are just an unfortunate casualties?"

"Rika-dono..." Suzuno whispered as she took a step forward trying to comfort her.

"Stop..." Rika spoke as she took a step back, "I...I need time to think." With that, she run away.

Alex furrowed his brows before looking at Emi, who has been quiet since last night, even Alice couldn't do anything to cheer her up.

He sighed before looking at Ashiya. The demon general noticed his king looking at him, signalling him to follow Rika.

Ashiya blinked, he wondered why does he have to do it? But still, his loyalty to his lord his absolute and he run after Rika.

Alex then looked towards Hisui and Albert who raised an eyebrow, before gesturing at Emi. Hisui turned towards Emi, and saw her just staring blankly at the floor.

Albert saw that too, and couldn't help but sigh. He thought that perhaps his friend and Maou had a fight last night.

Alex turned towards Yuuna, Suzuno, Lucifer, Yaya, Sagiri, and Nonko. "You six, follow me, we're stopping this rain."

"E-Eh?! M-M-Me?!" Yuuna squeaked as she pointed at herself.

"Eh?" Sagiri blinked.

"...Very well." Suzuno nodded.

Nonko just smirked as her eyes turned towards Emi before she nodded at him, "Alright, I guess its time to finally stretch my muscles after years of not fighting."

"Hn, Yaya wants to meet with the Cat God already."

"Sigh~ I knew it." Lucifer sighed, "Dude, can't I just stay? Your six should be enough yeah?"

"Hanzo...." Alex glared at him.

Lucifer sighed, why does he have such a slave driver of a boss? Doesn't he know that if it rains, then you just have to sit back and relax, not do too much work.

"W-Wa-Wait! What did you just say?!" Sagiri exclaimed, she knew Alex is strong, but stopping this rain? Doesn't that mean he needs to stop the war too?

"Come on Sagiri-chan~ just follow us~" Nonko put an arm around Sagiri's shoulders and dragged her with them.

"Wait! Think about this calmly and rationally! We ne—mmph?!"

"Ah shush, little Sagiri~ just come with us okay~?"

Alex turned towards Hisui and nodded, before he, along with Yuuna, Suzuno, Nonko, Sagiri, Lucifer, and Yaya walked out of the hotel.

Hisui nodded back at Alex before she sat down beside Emi. Albert knew that he wasn't needed in this girl talk so he crouched down to face Alice.

"Hey Alice, your Mama and Hisui-neechan are going to have a talk, why don't we buy them some food as they look like they are hungry."

"Un?" Alice turned towards her mama and saw that she is still looking down on the ground so she turned towards Albert and smiled, "Un! Mama likes cuwwy...I wan one too!"

Albert smiled and pick her up to his arms.

Emi immediately frowned when she noticed her arms suddenly feeling light, she looked up and saw Albert holding Alice and sighed before giving a smile Alice.

"Alice, where are you going?"

"Un, Mama looks hungry, so me and Al will buy Mama cuwwy. So mama, don't be sad."

Emi's eyes widened for a bit before she smiled, "Thank you Alice, and sorry, Mama just has a lot of stuffs going on at her head."

"Its okeh, Mama is just hungry, Mama will be happy again after eating cuwwy."

She smiled before taking her from Albert and carried her to her arms as she gave her a kiss, "Alright, Mama will wait for you to bring me curry okay?"

"Un!"

She smiled and kissed her again before glaring at Albert, "Take care of her, absolutely do not let anything happen to her. Understood?"

Albert grinned, and gave a salute, "Understood boss, no problem, you can leave your precious daughter to me."

She stared at him for a few seconds before giving Alice back to him.

"Mama!" Alice smiled as she waved at her mama.

Emi smiled before she sat back down, beside her friend. Returning back to her previous state as she stared at the floor silently.

"...aren't you going to ask me what's wrong?" Emi spoked.

"Nope," Hisui replied, and not with her lazy tone, "...I trust Emi the most."

Emi gave a wry smile, "Trust me the most huh? I don't know about that. I don't even think that I deserve to be called a Hero."

"...When Lucifer approached the royal capital, I abandoned the land belonging to my father's family without any hesitation." Hisui said.

That was true, when she heard about Lucifer coming to their country, she abandoned everything to die by Lucifer and his army.

But even so, she did not regret it.

"...I was coward, I run away due to my fear, but still, I couldn't protect myself and became a captive. Yet, the people still called me Hero alongside you...if there is someone who doesn't deserve to be called a hero, it is me."

Emi gave a weak smile, "...Do you hate Lucifer?"

Hisui nodded, "I hate him, I really hate him. Even though I abandoned my family and everyone to die, I still hate him for killing them. Satan? I hate him even more, to the point that when I thought about he layed his hand on you my blood boiled so much to the point I feel like It might evaporate."

Emi looked down and chuckled, "...I'm such a terrible friend aren't I?"

"...."

"You know Eme...I..." Emi looked towards her friend, "...I don't think I can raise my blade to the Demon King anymore...."

Hisui just calmly observed her friend, and after a few moments, she sighed and revealed a smile.

"You know, I kind of expected it."

"Huh?"

Hisui chuckled, "I think its our fate, to choose a man over the world."

"Huh?"

"I said it before didn't I? I trust Emi the most. If Emi, the one who hated Demons the most in the entire world, fell in love with the Demon King, It wouldn't hurt to give them a chance right?"

"...." Emi remained silent, and just stared at her friend.

"Also...I, no, never mind." Hisui blushed for moment before it disappeared as she smiled, "...Not killing the Demon King is the decision made by the person I trust the most. Surely, she won't regret it, she isn't that weak. She will shoulder the burdens that comes with her decision, and push through it with brute force. That's how Emilia Justina is."

Emi's eyes widened at her friend's words. After awhile, she shook her head and released a smile.

"Thanks Eme, I'm fine now."

Hisui smiled, "Anytime Emi, anytime."

"Mama~!"

Emi looked up and saw her daughter running towards her, she smiled and stood up before picking her up.

"Mama, there's no cuwwy~" Alice pouted, "Al only bought drinks."

Emi kissed her cheeks, "Its fine, I'm not hungry anyway. Let's just drink what you bought."

Alice tilted her head, before she smiled, "Mama, not sad anymore?"

Emi nodded with a smile, "Yes, Yes I'm not sad anymore. Let's wait for papa while we drink what Alice brought for me."

"Un!"