Chapter 14:"Deal"
POV:Aiden
Son of B*tch
Aiden woke up suddenly in his room, panting heavily, his face drenched in sweat. His mind was muddled as he tried to comprehend what had happened in the Sea of Consciousness. He sat on the bed, hunched over as if carrying a heavy burden. Rob's words still echoed in his mind, especially that strange phrase: "Your void body is now... a woman."
He looked around the dark room, trying to calm himself. "Is this real? My real body... a woman? How am I supposed to deal with this?" he muttered to himself, his voice trembling, while placing his hands on his face, feeling fortunate that his current body was male.
He stared at his reflection in the mirror, but everything seemed normal. There was no visible change to his external body, but the feeling stirring inside him was entirely different. He hesitantly touched his body, pausing for a moment before touching his chest. "Nothing has changed... Was I just hallucinating?" he asked himself, confused, yet still feeling an inexplicable discomfort.
Then, anger began to rise inside him. "This makes no sense!" he shouted, pushing everything off the table beside the bed, shattering one of the nearby vases. "I'm not a toy in the hands of fate! Why is this happening to me?!"
After a moment of silence and frustration, he sat back down on the bed, trying to regain his balance. "Alright... this is just another challenge. I've faced worse, and I'll find a way to deal with this," he said firmly, taking a deep breath. His eyes showed new determination, though he was still uncertain about what was happening inside him.
While he was lost in his thoughts, he felt something strange... someone was gently holding his arm. He looked beside him, and there was Rias, asleep next to him, clutching his arm tightly as if she were afraid he might slip away. Aiden was startled for a moment, not knowing how she had ended up in his room, but he felt some comfort in her presence, as if her being there eased the turmoil inside him.
He smiled faintly before sighing, but another strange feeling crept into his consciousness. He placed his hand on his chest, and there, in the middle of his chest, he felt something solid. His heart raced as he carefully touched the area. "What is this?" he whispered softly, then his eyes widened in shock. It was his Sacred Gear. It wasn't just a dream or an illusion. What had happened in the Sea of Consciousness was real.
"This is real... The Gear is here..." Aiden muttered, stunned by the discovery. He knew things were about to get more complicated from now on.
As Aiden was still in shock from the presence of his Sacred Gear in his chest, he felt Rias stir beside him. She rubbed her eyes slowly as she woke up, then glanced at Aiden to find him awake. Without hesitation, she lunged at him, hugging him tightly as tears began to fall on his shoulders.
"Aiden! I was so scared for you!" she said in a voice choked with sobs.
Aiden felt the deep concern that filled her heart. With a gentle touch, he began to softly pat her back, trying to calm her. "Don't worry, everything will be alright," he said in a calm and tender voice, as if trying to convey the security he himself needed.
The maids standing outside the room had heard the commotion from inside, and they understood that Aiden had finally awakened. Without hesitation, they ran to inform his family of the good news.
Moments later, the door to the room burst open, and the first to rush to Aiden was Serafall, who embraced him just as Rias had, hugging him tightly as if she hadn't seen him in a long time. "Aiden! I was so worried about you!" she said, her voice filled with emotion.
She was followed by his mother, Grayfia, who hugged him with great tenderness, as if trying to reassure herself that he was here and safe. "You're alright, my little one," she whispered while gently stroking his hair.
Then his grandmother Venelana entered, with a warm smile as she approached him and embraced him. "I knew you'd come back to us, Aiden."
A few moments later, his father Sirzechs and his grandfather Zeoticus entered, followed by his teacher Ajuka, watching the scene with smiles as the room was filled with emotion.
After the hugs and the emotional reunion, Aiden raised his head slightly and asked quietly, "How long was I unconscious?"
His father, Sirzechs, answered in a reassuring tone, "Only three days."
Then his grandmother added teasingly with a smile, "Ara ara, Rias couldn't bear to see you alone, so she slept with you every night."
Rias's face flushed deeply, feeling embarrassed, and she shyly said, "Mom!" which made everyone burst into laughter, as if the laughter was a release for everyone after the anxiety they had lived through.
But Aiden, after everyone had calmed down, tried to apologize: "I want to apologize... for losing control of my power—"
Before he could finish his sentence, his mother Grayfia gently interrupted him: "Not now, Aiden. Rest now, and we'll discuss it later."
Then, with a quiet gesture, she guided him back to the bed, ensuring he got the rest he deserved. Everyone quietly left the room, leaving him to rest and regain his strength.
Before falling asleep, Aiden lay quietly on his bed, feeling deeply grateful. "I'm lucky to have this family..." he muttered to himself with a small smile as he slowly closed his eyes, letting himself drift into a peaceful sleep, comforted by the fact that he was surrounded by people who loved him sincerely and deeply.
POV:Third Person
In Rizevim's office, darkness fell as he sat in his plush chair, contemplating his ambitious plans that went beyond the realm of reality. Suddenly, the space in front of him split open with a quiet but deep voice, and Philip emerged from it with his fake smile that held something uneasy. Rizevim looked at him with a raised eyebrow, his expression tinged with suspicion and curiosity.
"What brings you here, Philip?" Rizevim said in a dry voice as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on his mysterious visitor.
Philip sat in the seat next to him, his movements quiet as if he knew the place well, then said with a sly smile as he picked up a cup of coffee on the table, "I want Aiden Gremory."
Rizevim froze for a moment, before asking with apparent confusion, "What does the son of Sirzechs have that would interest you?"
Philip's tone changed as he drank from his coffee, his voice calm and cold, "It's not me who wants him… it's my master."
This revelation shocked Rezvim, he had no other entity in his mind that could care so much about Aiden. As Philip gently placed the coffee cup on the table, he said in a more serious, sharp tone: "I want to make a deal with you. I want Aiden Gremory, and in exchange, I will give you a serum that will make you surpass even Lucifer himself."
Rezvim looked at Philip, his mind working quickly as he weighed the pros and cons. This offer was tempting, but the risks were too great. Finally, he spoke in a heavy voice: "I can't give it to you, it's protected by the Demon Lords."
Philip smiled his playful smile, but this time it was filled with a veiled threat: "Why do you think you're alone? I'll join my army, and I'll lead the operation myself. Listen to me carefully, Rezvim."
At that moment, the atmosphere in the room changed abruptly. Philip's tone became intense, and the pressure emanating from him filled the room like a flood of dark energy. "I will do anything to get Aiden Gremory, even if I have to slaughter all the demons," he said in a sharp tone like a sword.
Rezivim felt a shiver run through his body. Philip's threat was clear and terrifying, but he quickly returned to his sudden calm as if nothing had happened, confusing Rezivim even more.
Then, with a wicked smile, Philip said, "But I prefer things to be done peacefully. I heard you have a granddaughter… Maybe we can use her to lure Aiden. You get the serum, and we get it. Everyone wins."
Before Rezivim could think of a response, Philip disappeared as suddenly as he had come, leaving behind silence and shadows playing around the room. Rezivim sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the decision before him. He then stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the garden where his little granddaughter was playing innocently with her mother.
The girl, with her silver hair and blue eyes, seemed like a ray of light in the darkness of his life. Her childish face exuded complete innocence, but he knew that the beauty she would possess in the future would be a powerful tool.
He smiled evilly, his eyes filled with hatred and tyranny. "It seems you have more use than I expected…" He said in a cold tone, deciding the fate of his granddaughter and a dark role for her in his plan.