Ch 27: The gray-haired woman

"What the-"

After witnessing the scene in front of them, those were the only words that both Touji and Akiko could say.

Of course, it wasn't something outrageous like having s*x in the middle of the park, but still, seeing a mature woman giving an alluring and lustful look to a 6 year-old kid, it was certainly mind blowing. Even more for people like Akiko.

"What was that?!" She asked in a panicked way.

However, no one answered her question. Who could do that?

Well, at least Yuria felt a little embarrassed because they saw her 'intimate' moment with Zircon. She was bold in private but shy in public, it could be said.

In the other hand, Zircon didn't even pay attention to her. His attention was between Yuria, his beloved girlfriend, and Irina, his first friend.

Moreover, in Asako's case, well, she was just too lazy to even be bothered by that topic.

Seeing that nobody answered her question, Akiko felt a little irritate, but she decided to calm down, at least for the moment. After all, as a model citizen in the modern era, it was difficult for her to accept what she just say. She just wanted to expect that maybe it was only her mind playing tricks with her.

Meanwhile, Touji who had already forgot that part of the topic, had a serious expression on his face.

"Is he a vampire or a dhampir?" He asked.

Asako gave him a hostile stare to him. She knows that in the church, some of their members could be racist against other races like devils, fallen angels, youkai, etc.. The only exception of this were human and angels, the latter being considered as superior being in their religion.

If by any chance, Touji or the church were going to be hostile against Zircon only for his race, then Asako and even Yuria wouldn't doubt in burnt them to the ground.

"Yes, he is a variant of a dhampir." Said Asako.

She obviously lied to him. There was no way that she could tell to a possible enemy that Zircon was new race of supernatural being. It was better to say that he was a variant of a dhampir because unlike pure blood vampires, dhampirs' behaviour were the nearest to humans'.

"I see." Touji had a hostile look in his eyes.

Asako and Yuria, noticing this, raised their guards. Yuria's eyes started to shine with a mild blue light, and without noticing it, two spears started to manifest, already pointing at Touji's head.

The tense and hostile atmosphere between the three could be sensed also by Zircon, making him wary of what seemed to be the beginning of a confrontation.

However, when the fight seemed to start in just a second...

"Ouch!" Touji felt someone pulling his ear in a painful way, and that 'someone' was his wife.

"Dear! What are you doing wanting to start a fight?" She asked her husband with an angry voice.

When she saw her husband and the other two preparing themselves to fight, she knew that she had to do something to stop them. That's why she started nagging her husband to stop. Even if her husband was part of the church, as a normal human that isn't affiliated with them, she didn't feel any hostility against the two women and the young 'dhampir'.

In fact, she was grateful with Zircon for protecting her daughter when she was in danger. Maybe she would feel scared of him if she saw Zircon bathed in blood and the devil trying to hold his organs inside of his body, so it's good that she didn't.

"But-" Touji tried to speak.

"No 'buts'. You are being rude with them." Said Akiko, still pulling Touji's ear.

"I have to agree with her." Suddenly, another female voice.

It wasn't neither Yuria nor Asako. All the present, except Irina, turned towards the unknown woman who spoke. She had grey long hair tied in a long braid on her back, and dark grey eyes. She was smiling gently at the group, without a trace of malicious intent.

The woman was beautiful with her fair skin and slim figure, dressed with a white one-piece dress, which looked like an aristocrat dress. She was like a pearl from the ocean. Maybe my words aren't enough to describe her, after all I don't consider myself a poet.

Ahem!

She looked directly at Asako and started walking to her. Because she didn't seem to have intention to attack, Zircon started to relax, while Yuria, by the way she was looking at the strange woman she seemed to know, or at least, recognize her.

The grey-haired woman extended her hands and the she ran towards Asako at a high speed. Just then, Zircon reacted, thinking that maybe she was going to attack Asako; he manifested his {Striker mode}. However, before he ended manifesting it, the grey-haired woman was already in front of Asako.

"A-sa-ko-chaaan!" The grey-haired woman yelled.

With a slight jump, she launched herself towards Asako as if she was a projectile. But before the grey-haired woman could collide with the latter, Asako just moved a few inches to the side, letting the trajectory of the woman to keep straight forward until she crashed with a tree, destroying it.

A cloud of dust and dirt was created by the impact of the woman.

"*Cough**cough*. You are so mean, Asako-chan. I just wanted to give you a hug." Said the woman while pouting.

"Ah. Sorry, sorry. I wanted to return the hug, but after seeing your face, I changed my mind. Asako said in a nonchalant tone, but by her expression, she was obviously mocking her.

"You are so mean!" The woman yelled. "*Sob**sob*. I don't remember raising my pupil to be a mean woman." She began to fake her crying.

"Haah." Asako sighed in a defeated way and then she went to her and hugged her. "There, there. You are too spoiled for being my mentor."

"Hehehe." The woman laughed cheerfully.

"Mentor?" Zircon asked while walking towards the two woman.

He wasn't using his {Striker mode} anymore, seeing the two were really friends. However, what confused him was that Asako called the unknown woman, 'mentor'.

"Let me present-"

"So you are Zir-chan." Said the woman after appearing just appearing in front of him with sparks in her eyes.

With wide-opened eyes, Zircon was confused on how the woman moved so fast in only a second when Asako was just hugging her. It was, like magic.

But those thoughts were suddenly interrupted after he felt the woman hugging him tightly, rubbing her cheeks with his.

"You look so cute, just like a little bunny." Said the woman.

Zircon, even if he wanted to escape from her clutch, he couldn't. It seemed that she was stronger compared to how she looks at first sight. Therefore, he gave up in trying to escape.

However, two women weren't happy in seeing the 'intimate' contact between the two of them.

"Hey, bi-. Ahem, I mean, ma'am. I would like to ask you to stop hugging him." Said Yuria with a smile, but it didn't look like one. Even her blue eyes seemed to be empty as a void.

"*Crack*. It seems that you are too spoiled." Said Asako in a nonchalant but menacing way while cracking her knuckles. "I think I should discipline you."

"Eeek! You two are scary! Zir-chan, protect me!" Said the woman while hiding behind Zircon, making the other two even more infuriated.

(This shameless woman) Zircon, Asako and Yuria thought at the same time.

Even if Zircon felt a little reluctant in defending the woman because he didn't know her at all, he knew that it wouldn't be good if Asako and Yuria killed her.

"Well, Asako, J.B, don't be too mad. In exchange what about if I hug you." Said Zircon, extending his arms as a signal that he allowed them to hug him.

While looking at each other's' eyes, Yuria and Asako seemed to have reached an agreement. Then, they both hugged him, each one taking a side. Asako on the right and Yuria on the left.

It passed two minutes after they both felt satisfied with the hug.

Then, Zircon turned his gaze towards the woman, still curious about her identity.

"I'm Kusakabe Zircon. What's your name?" Zircon presented himself before asking her name.

The woman smiled at him. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Alow me to present myself." She spoke in a polite way, with a trace of elegance, very different from her cheerful way from before. She bowed a little and with her hands, she took the sides of her dress. "My name is Cleria Belial, member of the Belial family from the 72 pillars of the underworld and overseer of this town. Also, I am Asako's mentor." Her smile widened with the last part.

"What are you doing here?" Asako asked.

"I sensed a stray demon using magic in my territory so I came here to check out. However, it seems that I arrived a little late." Her expression turned sad while she looked at the unconscious Irina, who was now being hugged by her mother. Then she bowed her body in a respectful way. "As the overseer of this town, I want to apologize for my late arrive, and also want to thank you for protecting one of its habitants."

"There is no need. Irina-chan is my friend, so it was only natural for me to protect her." Said Zircon with honest words.

As someone who didn't want to lose the people he cares never again, this was his new compromise.

Cleria smiled by his words. "Anyway, I want to apologize, and I promise that this won't going to happen again under my watch." Her expression showed that she was completely serious about it.

Zircon noticed it, and in his mind, Cleria just earned his respect

"Then, I'll take your word." Said Zircon.

"Thank you." She said. "Now, I would like to discuss with Asako about the future."

****

Fever (Villain4ever): Hi guys! I'm still here!

I want to apologize for the late release. It took me more than expected to write this chapter and to think what is going to happen next.

To make it clear, this is the time before Cleria met Yaegaki Masaomi. So she hasn't fell in love with him yet.

I think that many of you have an idea of what will happen next, but I'll leave it for later.

'See you tomorrow'.