Chapter 37

Dante looked at both of us, his family, and smiled. As he started walking toward the orphanage, he reached a certain distance, paused, and turned back to give us a final smile and wave goodbye.

My heart ached, and I wished to stop him from leaving, to hold onto our togetherness. But deep down, I understood that Mom had made this choice to protect him, to ensure his safety amidst the looming threat of the angels.

I smiled back at Dante through my tears and waved in return, with Mom doing the same. It was a bittersweet farewell, a moment etched in our memories.

That day marked the last time I saw Dante, my beloved twin brother.

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My mum tightly clasped my hands as we ran forward, determined not to look back. But I couldn't help myself. I turned my head to catch one last glimpse of the orphanage where I had left my twin brother Dante. I stared at that particular direction until the orphanage home faded from view. A quiet whisper escaped my lips, "I miss my twin Dante so much," followed by a sigh of longing.

Turning my gaze forward, I couldn't help but wonder where my mom was leading us. Her expression was focused, locked onto the path ahead. I wondered what had her so intent, but I had learned to trust her implicitly. My mom had always protected us, and she wouldn't lead us astray now.

As we continued forward, the grip of my mom's hands on mine grew tighter, and a sharp pain coursed through my fingers. I couldn't bear it any longer. "Mum, your grip hurts," I finally cried out, hoping to gain her attention. I looked at my mom, but her focus remained on the path ahead, as if she were immune to my discomfort.

The intensity of her grip increased, and the pain escalated to the point where I couldn't endure it any longer. Tears welled up in my eyes as I shouted in agony, "Ouch, mother, your grip is too tight; it's hurting my hands!" Yet, my cries seemed to fall on deaf ears; my mom's determination to protect me kept her gaze firmly fixed ahead.

Frustration mounting, I used my free hand to tap her on the shoulder repeatedly, desperately trying to capture her attention. After what felt like an eternity, my mom finally turned towards me and asked, "What's wrong, dear? Is something the matter?"

I gasped for air, my breath heavy from the effort of getting my mom's attention. "Mum, your grip on my hands was too tight, and it started hurting," I managed to say between breaths.

My mom looked at her hands, realizing the vice-like grip she had on me. She immediately released her hold on my hands, her eyes filled with concern. "Sorry, dear. I didn't mean it," she said, her voice soothing as she gently rubbed my head to reassure me.

"Sorry, dear " My mom's apology was cut short when the stone she had kept on her dress began to emit a soft, radiant glow. My mom quickly retrieved it, a mixture of hope and apprehension in her eyes. "What is it? Is there any good news?" she inquired, her voice tinged with anticipation.

A voice responded, but it wasn't the familiar voice of Mavka. It was someone else, a voice that sounded urgent and anxious. My curiosity deepened as I strained to listen to their words.

"No, ma, but I have very bad news, ma," the voice conveyed, its urgency palpable.

My mom's concern intensified as she recognized that this wasn't the voice she had expected. She asked, "What seems to be the problem, Shinobu?" Her face displayed a mixture of anxiety and determination.

"Ma, the location where the angel is supposed to be was a trap. Gabriel used it to deceive us. When I arrived there, I didn't see any life forms or Gabriel himself. Instead, all I encountered was an illusion he had summoned using his powers. I'm deeply sorry for the false information, ma," Shinobu explained. She paused briefly, her voice filled with regret and concern.

"Mum, I'm on my way to your location as fast as I can. Dante and Lupin are closer to you; they'll be with you in a few minutes," Shinobu added, his voice tinged with urgency.

My mom's expression softened as she replied, "I understand, Shinobu. Don't blame yourself -" She couldn't finish her sentence before a figure materialized from the shadows right in front of us. This figure possessed white wings, white eyes, wore a white hat, and held a book in his hand. With a cold but strangely polite manner, the figure spoke, "We meet again, Lucifer," a chilling smile gracing his face.

The sudden appearance of this figure caused my mom to halt her pace. She had been running tirelessly while communicating with Shinobu through the stone. "You betrayed us, Gabriel. Why did you do it? Answer me!" my mom demanded, her voice dripping with anger and rage. Her grip on the stone weakened, and it slipped from her hand, clattering to the ground.

"Ma, what's happening? It's Gabriel right in front of you. I'm hurrying over there as fast as I can," Shinobu's voice crackled with panic as he tried to make sense of the situation unfolding before him.

The figure, Gabriel, remained calm, his smile never wavering as he faced my mom's fury. "Ah, my dear Lucifer, you always were so quick to jump to conclusions. Allow me to explain," he said, his voice dripping with a mixture of arrogance and deceit.

Despite her anger, my mom couldn't help but listen. She had to know why Gabriel had betrayed us. As I stood there, caught in the middle of this confrontation, my heart raced with uncertainty,scared I was that I rushed behind my mum back and hid behind her.

Author Note :

Hello, everyone. It's the author here. If you have any suggestions to help improve this chapter or anything you'd like to share, please leave a comment below. I will respond.