Chapter 20: Iris Gremory

???'s POV

"Iris..."

A red haired man whispered while tenderly holding my hand on his face, as he looked at me with despair and regret in his blood red eyes.

"Sirzechs... I'm sorry... It seems like... I won't be able to raise our child together"

"Iris... No... Don't lose hope... please, you're everything I have"

He said while crying and holding my right hand tighter as his tears soaked the bedsheet.

"Sirzechs... I can't... anymore... I know my own condition... I'm sorry..."

I weakly said as I felt my strength slowly weaken by every second that past. I raised my hand towards her cheek and gently caressing his cheeks with a smile on my face.

"I love you... honey"

I said before all of my strength left my body as my consciousness slowly fades. My vision started to black out, and the last thing I heard was my husband's cries and pleas.

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"... Where am I?"

I looked around my surroundings... and found nothing by darkness... Endless darkness.

"... I died, huh?"

I muttered as tears started to form in my eyes, slowly dripping down my cheeks... I died... I won't be able to hold my baby... I won't be able to see my own baby grow up...

I always wanted to experience the life of having a happy family with Sirzechs but... it seems like fate is too cruel on me...

I just hope that... both of them will be fine after my death.

I crouched down on the dark floor, as the memories... the happy memories of being together with Sirzechs flash before my eyes.

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"Who are you and how dare you enter our territory?"

I haughtily asked the red haired man while standing on top of a small hill.

"I have been wanting to meet you..."

He said before instantly teleporting in front of me while as he gently held my waist and pulled me towards himself.

"...my fiancé"

"So you're 'that' boy that my family arranged me to marry"

I angrily stared at the boy in front of me who had a slight smile on his face.

"Tch... Let go of me, I never agreed with this engagement, mark my word I will find a way to break it off no matter what"

I angrily said before slapping him in the face and teleporting away.

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"Are you an idiot? You know how dangerous the situation is, and you... You want to join the war?! You think I'll let you?!"

Sirzechs angrily shouted while looking at me who was preparing my armor any weapon to join the Great War and defend the territory of the devils.

"Sirzechs, don't interfere with my decisions, you are not yet my husband, your just my fiancé so don't order me around"

"That is now, but that will change in the future, I won't have anyone else as my wife other than you. I will die without you, Iris"

"Then just die Sirzechs, you're better off with someone else other than me. I am not a woman that you ideally think I am, I am not weak willed like the other noble girls that cries from a simple injury... I have been trained to defend our kind, so stop pestering me, Sirzechs"

"You don't understand how I feel Iris, I love you... more than my own life. If you still insist on joining the war then I'll follow you whenever you go"

"Tch... Do as you like, but don't lag behind"

I said before holding my spear with my right hand as I left the room without looking back.

"I won't... I swear I'll protect you Iris"

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"Mistress, the enemies have surrounded us"

One of my soldiers reported as I sat down inside of a camp with Sirzechs standing by my side.

"Tch... those bastards betrayed us!"

I angrily shouted as I punched the table in front of me, breaking it into pieces.

It has been 3 months since I left to the war, but things only got more complicated. My Clan has joined the rebel army to overthrow the Old Satan Faction due to the severity bought to the underworld because of their decision of starting a war with heaven, trying to take advantage of the fact that God has been weakened due to using most of his strength in sealing Trihexa, the apocalyptic beasts.

But in the end the four of them died along with God and the entire faction was thrown into chaos. The strength of the entire faction is in constant decline because of the wrath of the fallen angels, indiscriminately killing any devil at sight and invading our territory.

And because of all of the severe consequences brought by their stupid decision, most of the devils have joined the rebel army to overthrow the Old Satan Faction from its seat.

"Iris, I advise that you run away from here. I'll try to stall them behind"

"Run away from the enemies? where's your pride, Sirzechs"

"Pride? Pride is nothing when your dead, who will lead the army if your gone, Iris? You life is more important that my own pride, so leave this place to me"

"No! So that you can die?! Don't treat me like a fool, Sirzechs"

"Iris... You already said that I am nothing in your eyes, I am nothing more than a normal soldier in your eyes, do you remember?"

"T-that is"

"So let this loyal soldier of yours sacrifice himself for you"

"Y-you-"

"Please, Iris"

"No! I-I-I-"

"You, leave with your mistress, immediately and leave this place to me"

Sirzechs said dignified while looking at one of my soldiers who was kneeling on the ground.

"B-but-..."

"You dare to disobey me?"

Sirzechs menacingly questioned the soldier causing him to tremble in fear from the aura being released by Sirzechs.

"Understood"

The soldier answered as they went towards me.

"Sirzechs... No, no, no, no"

I desperately said while looking at Sirzechs in the eye.

"Just leave, Iris..."

"Y-you even though you said that you'll never leave me?!"

"I thought that you wanted me out of your sight, Iris, so with this I can never be at your sight in the future"

"Sirzechs..."

*Prick*

"I... I hate you!!"

I screamed before running out of the tent while tears continuously flow out of my eyes.

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"Iris... Honey... please come out, you haven't eaten anything ever since you came back"

My mother worriedly called out to me from the door.

"I'm not hungry... please leave me alone"

I said with my husky voice as I buried my puffy eyes on my pillow.

"Iris, please come out"

"Mother... please leave me alone"

"Iris..."

My mother weakly muttered as I heard another voice call out from the door.

"Iris... I have something to tell you"

My father called out to me with a slight depressed tone in his voice causing my heart race as anxiety.

"..."

"...then I'll tell you here, Iris"

"..."

"You're fiancé, Sirzechs... passed away while defending the camp in the south border..."

As soon as he said the last word, I hurriedly ran towards the door as I immediately opened it, looking at my Father who has a saddened expression on his face as I felt something snap in my heart.

"No... don't lie, It can't be... please tell me it's a lie"

I desperately asked while holding his coat as tears rolled down on my cheeks.

"I'm sorry... Iris"

"No, no, no, this can't be real... Your lyin..."

"..."

"No..."

"I'm sorry..."

I cried... I cried and regretted everything... If only I wasn't stubbornly pushing him away, this might've not happened... I killed him... Sirzechs... I'm sorry.

"Sirzech-"

I unconsciously called out his name as my heart felt like it was being squeezed, as I felt my legs slowly lose it strength causing me to lean against my mother.

"Dear..."

"I'm sorry...."

*Prick*

"If only I wasn't stubborn, if only accepted you..."

*Prick*

"If only I was honest with you.."

*Prick*

"You left me in empty air.... When I was already starting to like you..."

"So this is how you felt... every time I rejected you..."

*Prick*

"It hurts... Sirzechs..."

I cried my heart out while on my mother's embrace, I can't control my tears, the pain that I feel in my chest won't go... It hurts... please make it stop.

"Iris... I thought you didn't like me?"

A familiar voice of asked... no... That's impossible... it must be because how desperate I am to see him again.

"I like you... I love you, but... now you're gone..."

"I love you too, Iris"

The voice gently spoke as I felt someone hug me from behind.

"Iris, I'm happy that you felt the same way as me"

The voice above me gently said as he hugged me tightly in his embrace.

"Sirzechs..."

I called out his name while looking at the red haired man who was embracing me in his arms.

"Yes, Iris?"

"Y-you alive!"

I shouted before hugging him tightly in my arms as I cried in his chest.

"Yes... I'm sorry I lied to you, Iris"

"...huh?"

I muttered in confusion as I raised my head looking at his guilty expression before I turned my head towards my parents who had a large smile on their faces.

"Y-You!!!!"

I angrily shouted before pushing him away from my embrace.

"H-How could you lie to me like that!?!"

"I'm sorry..."

"Y-You are just!"

I angrily pointed at him as I prepared to slap him on his face, but stop when he didn't move an inch and prepared to accept my palm on his face.

"What I said was true Iris, I really do love you so..."

He said with a serious expression on his face before kneeling down on the ground on one knee as he held out a small box on his hand as he presented it to me.

"... will you marry me, Iris"

He said while opening the box in his hand.

"... You really are an idiot..."

"You can't even read the mood to properly propose to me... idiot"

"I-Is that a no?"

"Idiot... Of course it's a yes"

I answered as he immediately smiled brightly before embracing me tightly in his arms.

"Iris, I love you, I love you!"

"I love you too, you big idiot"

I muttered before giving him a tender kiss on his lips with all of the feelings that I held back to him in the past 2 months.

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"Sirzechs"

"Yeah?"

Sirzechs answered while looking at me who was sitting between his legs as we enjoyed the scenery of the new Underworld, while gently caressing my stomach who held our 4 month old baby.

"Hehehe~ I'm so happy that I met you, Sirzechs. I love you"

"Me too, Iris"

He answered with a gentle smile as he gave me a peck on my lips.

"I'm excited to finally see our baby, I hope he won't be as annoying as you in the future"

"Of course not, my lovely wife will be taking care of our baby after all"

He said before giving me a kiss on the forehead.

"I always wanted to have a happy family with you... I waited for 700 years until you finally decided that we can have a child"

I said while pouting as I pulled his cheeks.

"I want our child to be live in a peaceful place, so I wanted to stabilise the underworld until then. I'm sorry that you had to wait for so long"

"Hmm... Then I forgive you, Baka-Sirzechs"

I happily smiled as I hugged him on his neck with a pink blush on my face.

This is really the happiest time of my life... I hope nothing bad happens in the future.

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"Doctor! What's happening to my wife!?"

I, who was painfully lying down the bed as I finished giving birth to our child watched Sirzechs with an extremely panicked expression on his face as he unconsciously let out some of his killing intent as he asked the doctor.

"Sirzechs-sama... I'm sorry but, Iris-sama's body has been cursed to die when she gave birth to his first child... The curse mark on her body doesn't come off no matter what we do... I'm sorry but we tried our best"

"No, no no no no, do something! Anything!"

"We already did everything we could but... The curse is far too strong and has spread throughout her body, it is impossible to remove the curse now... The only thing we could do is to remove the curse on the baby"

The doctor answered with a sad face while facing Sirzechs who was angrily looking at him.

"Honey... It's fine..."

"Iris... No there must be a way, please don't give up, please don't give up for me and for our child"

"I'm sorry, Sirzechs... I can't... hold on much longer... I was very happy to meet and marry you... honey... I'm sorry..."

I weakly said as my strength slowly left my body.

"No, I won't give up, I'll find a way, just hold on and wait for me, Iris"

He said as he hurriedly left the hospital, ignoring all of the pleas of the doctors around him.

"Sirzechs... I'm sorry... that I'll leave you alone... once again"

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I slowly opened my eyes as my tears uncontrollably ran down my cheeks before I heard monotone voice behind me.

"You must be... Iris Gremory, am I correct?"

A woman with extremely pale skin and empty black eyes asked while holding a giant scythe behind her.

"Yes... who are you?"

"I am death itself, Gremory, I have come here to tell you that... You're time isn't up, you still have a purpose that you have to fulfill in the future, Gremory, the 'creator' wants you to guide a boy with golden hair and eyes, let him feel the love that a mother would give to his children, that is your purpose"

The woman said as she held the scythe close to my neck.

"I can't contain your soul in my realm yet, and I will not allow any other realm take you, according to the orders of my creator. You'll forget everything that we talked about in this void. You'll just have to remember after your resurrected by the boy"

"What?"

"No more questions... You must now wake up, the boy has already called for you. I hope that you don't disappoint the 'creator', Iris Gremory"

She said as my body started to shine brightly.

"Wait!"

I shouted as I held out my hand to her before I slowly lose consciousness once again.

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"... Where am I?"

I asked myself as I stared at an unfamiliar ceiling. I slowly sat up from the bed and looked around, trying to find any clues where I am.

But found nothing, it looks like I am inside a normal room... together with another beautiful foreigner girl who appears to be in her late teens with long purple hair and has orange eyes who was dazedly staring at the ceiling.

"Hmm? You're awake?"

A high pitched voice asked in the entrance of the room as we both turned our head to see who it was.

It was a 9 year old child with golden hair and eyes that shone through the darkness of the room, looking at us while carrying a tray of food and hot water.

"Who are you?"

I asked as I suddenly felt like I forgot something important while looking at the boy in front of me... But no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to remember it.

"My name's Lucias Frey, welcome to my house, I guess?"

The child answered as he placed the tray on the table close to our beds.

"Why are we here?"

"I brought you here after you were abducted and cured you two from your condition... Well revived in your case Iris Gremory-san"

"What? How do you know my name?"

"I know a lot of things, Iris-san"

"Huh?"

"Ano... So you cured me?"

The girl beside me asked while checking the condition on her body.

"I did... If you don't want to be cured, I'll just return your disease back to you"

"No, I am truly grateful to you for curing me from my disease"

The girl slightly bowed her head towards Lucias.

"Are you two hungry?"

He asked as he held two bowls of creamy soup in his hand.

*Growl*

The girl beside me blushed in embarrassment as she hurriedly tried to hide her face from the 2 of us.

"No need to be shy, it's only natural that you would be hungry... since you were asleep for 100 years"

The boy casually said before handing the bowl to us.

"What?"

The girl asked in shock while staring at him with wide eyes.

"Yes, you were asleep for 100 years, Ingvild Leviathan"

"..."

"Then I was dead for 100 years?"

I asked him with a serious expression on my face.

"No, you were dead for 10 years, Iris-san"

"10 years... Then what happend in the past years when I was dead?"

I hurriedly asked him as my heart started to race in excitement from having the thought of meeting my husband and son again.

"... This might... take a long time and might hurt you a bit so please eat first, after that I'll tell you everything I know"

He hesitatingly answered making me extremely anxious at the state of my husband and son.

"Don't worry, they're alive, but... "

"But what?"

"... nothing bad happened to them, so you don't need to be anxious, eat your soul first before it gets cold, then I'll tell you. Don't worry too much Iris Gremory"

He said as he sat down on the chair facing our bed before he took out a small book from his pocket.

'What happened to my family?'