A Curious Man

[Early Morning — Takeda Residence]

"Good morning, Mom."

The first thing I did after freshening up early in the morning was greet my mother.

I hadn't been home for nearly three days, and despite assuring her that I was fine and just hanging out with my friend, it still felt bad. I could genuinely feel her worry.

"Oh, Reo." The worry she had last night when I came back had now turned to adoration. "The food is ready if you would like to have some."

I looked at the clock above; it was five thirty in the morning.

Yeah, I barely slept.

So much has been happening lately that I feel like I have insomnia.

"You cooked this early?"

Usually, she cooks by six and finishes in about an hour or less. But today, she had everything done before it was even properly five thirty. That means she must have woken up before five.

She smiled, walked close to me, and ruffled my hair.

She was short, just a little over five feet.

"My boy hasn't been home in over two days and was tending to his friend," she said. "I don't even know if you ate in those two days, so it's only right that I cook you a storm."

She seemed happy with what she had cooked. And in all honesty, it looked amazing. 

She made me realize that everyone deserves a mother. 

But I don't want her to cook every day. It's a lot of work—waking up early, preparing everything, and then cleaning up. That's what she does all day long. I really need to make some money. The first thing I'll do after having money is find a maid for her to help with the house chores.

"Honestly, I am starving." 

So badly.

"Thanks, Mom." I gave her a tight hug. "You are the best."

I nearly jumped at the table filled with food—rice, tamagoyaki, grilled fish, three to four types of salads—from spinach to smashed cucumbers, miso soup, a lot of pickles, and countless side dishes.

No, she didn't wake up at five; she must have woken up at four for all this.

The smell alone was making me drool.

"Will you be late today too?" she asked, taking a seat opposite me. "Do tell me if you'll be late. I'll prepare the food according to what time you'll be back. That way, it will remain fresh and hot."

"I might be a little late, but I'll call you beforehand if I need to visit my friend at the hospital."

"Just don't forget to call," she reminded strictly. "You know how I feel about not getting any information about you until late at night."

I really feel bad for not informing her on time.

"I will," I assured. "But can I have soba for dinner? I'm craving some."

"Of course," she smiled. "Just be sure to be back by nighttime."

"Of course!"

I want to preserve that smile of hers.

She already looks older than she should. The strain from running this family alone and taking care of everything has taken a toll on her. She has wrinkles on her face that she doesn't even try to hide. Other women her age, even her friends from the neighborhood, spend a lot on skincare and beauty treatments. But Mom… She thinks it's a waste of money.

No, I have to do something about this. I need to figure out a way to make money. And figure it out fast.

…

…

[Same Time — Devil Realm, Underworld]

Sitting with a stiff back on a chair that looked comfier than it actually was, a man sighed loudly as he went through the parchment in his hand.

"Is everything alright?" a woman's voice whispered from a bit far away.

"No," the man placed the letter on the table and rubbed his temples. "This is more troubling than I hoped for."

The woman felt curious, but she knew she couldn't just ask for details. They had an established relationship outside the office, but in the office, she was no more than a secretary and an assistant to the man.

However, the man noticed her curiosity and offered a frail smile.

"It's not harmful. Don't worry, Grayfia," he assured. "The person who sent the letter might have a complex relationship with the devil world, but he is not someone bad. One might even say we share a sort of friendship."

"You mean…" Grayfia figured out who he was talking about.

"Azazel," the man answered. "He asked for permission to visit Kuoh."

"That… is not very safe, is it?" Grayfia asked, a little worried.

"Politically, no. But we know that he means no harm." He looked at his queen. "Just like we stand for the devils, he adores the Fallens. And he would not risk the safety of the Fallens by doing anything in Kuoh."

Although he knew there was tension even within the Fallen faction. He had talked with Azazel and knew that there were people in both factions actively trying to incite a war.

Still, he trusted Azazel and his capabilities.

"Rias is smart enough not to attack him, and I think after the events with those rogue Fallens who went against his orders, it is best if he clears up the issue with the two girls in Kuoh."

Grayfia knew that if there was someone who cared about the safety of Kuoh and the girls more than she did, it would be him. So, if he was willing to have the leader of the Fallens make a visit, it wasn't without reason.

"And Grayfia?" There was something else he was curious about. "What about the boy who took down the two Fallens?"

"I saw him with Rias and her peerage yesterday," the queen answered. "Although it is difficult to discern his true motives, he does seem to be friends with Rias and doesn't want to harm her."

The man nodded. "That's one less thing to worry about then." But his curiosity wasn't satisfied yet. "And what about his powers?"

He knew that not just anyone could kill two Fallens, especially a human who had just recently awakened his powers.

"He can use magic, but he doesn't seem like a conventional magician."

This drew the man's interest. "Explain?"

"He has magic; he can use magic. But unlike human magicians who have magic stored inside them artificially and constantly need to monitor it and keep it stationary, his magic moves."

"That's new." The man's interest was rising.

"His magic flows inside him, just like blood. But it does not harm him in any way."

It was a known fact that humans were never meant to use magic and had to learn it forcefully. Artificial Magic, that's what many referred to human magic as. They knew that if magic was allowed to roam freely inside a human body, their organs and interior would be absolutely wrecked.

"Are you certain he is a human?"

"He is," Grayfia said with a slight frown. "But it is difficult to understand him."

"Do you reckon it's a Sacred Gear that hasn't fully manifested? Maybe that's why he can use magic, and it feels strange?" The man tried to explore multiple possibilities. "Maybe it's a Gear we haven't seen in a long time or one that has mutated?"

Grayfia wanted to agree but felt that it might not be the case. She was curious too and wanted to figure out just what the boy was hiding. She was intrigued by the prospect of discovering a mutated Gear or one she hadn't seen before.

"Well, as long as he is on Rias' side, it's all fine." He shook his head. "I know she is stressed about the whole marriage issue."

"Are you going to do something about it?" Grayfia asked. "She agreed to the Rating Game, but you know better than anyone that she cannot win it."

Grayfia truly wondered what he was planning. "Are you going to do something about this marriage?"

"I am the Devil King, Grayfia," the man said. "I am bound by rules that forbid me from acting against the norms and helping my family."

However, the man didn't seem disappointed.

"That being said," he said with a tiny smile he was trying to conceal, "those rules are not without loopholes."

Grayfia finally understood why he was letting things progress so far. He already had backups in case Rias' plans failed.

"So you…"

She saw it in his eyes.

"The rules prohibit Sirzechs Lucifer, the Devil King, from meddling in family politics," he smiled, "but they do not prohibit a brother from helping his sister."

Once he became the Devil King, he legally lost the Gremory name and, as such, wasn't legally a member of the Gremory family. However, Grayfia knew that Sirzechs had ways to work around those rules. She knew that he always had ways.

After all, one does not become the Devil King with sheer power alone. One does not become Lucifer with just strength.

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