What, everyone has had experiences in their youth when they don’t understand anything and fight with their friends. For this reason, they may also say some horrible things. But isn’t your current relationship quite good? See, you two are speaking about these things quite normally, right?”
“No, by no means is it such a good relationship…it should be said that we just have a united front right now…”
Neither I nor Vali knew how to respond or what to say, and could only reply like that. Vali was very puzzled by my parents’ response, and asked again
“Do you forgive me?”
“What do you mean by forgive, you yourself feel sorry and you’re specifically telling us now? Well, since you’ve reflected on it, isn’t that fine? Right, kaa-san?”
Having been prompted by tou-san, kaa-san also smiled and nodded. “Yes. It seems Ise isn’t angry either, so it’s fine if you two get along from now on.”
Hearing my parents’ reply — Vali was completely dumbfounded and didn’t know what to say. “………”
He definitely thought that my parents would get angry and then reject him. But, my parents readily forgave what was said during a fight between two children. Soon after that, Vali laughed. Like a young child, he laughed innocently. I also stared. So that guy was actually able to laugh like a person his age should. “Haha, I don’t know why. Hyoudou Issei, after all, I truly envy you.”
After calming down somewhat, Vali said to my parents
“By the way, at that time, compared to when your son heard that I would kill you, he was actually more furious when I declared that I would halve the size of Rias Gremory’s breasts.”
In that moment, my parents instantly changed from being cheerful to angry! “What!? Compared to us, oppai make you even angrier, you brat! ?”
Tou-san grabbed my shoulders, and violently shook me! Huh!? I-Is that no good!? “Well, um, how should I say it…ah. M-My head hurts again!”
Just when I wanted to say that word, the pain began to swell up again! Kaa-san also became angry and shook my body! “You little Ise! Exactly what is going on, give me a good explanation!”
“Oh, it’s like that, my head…ah! Vali, you said some unnecessary things!”
Seeing that parent-child interaction, that guy Vali—
“Fufu, wahahaha”
He laughed aloud heartily like a child—. After saying goodbye to my parents, Vali and I walked through the hospital corridor, shoulder to shoulder. Vali’s face appeared to be illuminated by radiant light. “…It’s the first time that I’ve head off to fight with this kind of a feeling.”
Is that so? It’s you who turned my goodbye into that! My parents said ‘We’ll lecture you well when you get back!’ with anger until the very end! Just when I wanted to complain about a few things to him, Vali suddenly proceeded to say
“—Shouldn’t you also think about forming your own team?”
—Hmm. …What was he saying out of nowhere? Whatever, we also talked about this in the past. I scratched my cheek as I replied
“I’m not going to decide on my peerage yet. I have the long life of a Devil. I want to decide slowly. I’ve also heard that if you decide on your peerage too early, you’ll be bored for the rest of your life.”
Hearing my reply, Vali shook his head. “I didn’t mean that. Peerage aside, wouldn’t it be nice to form a different ‘team’? My team is not my peerage. But as a high-class Devil, it’s also possible to have private guards in addition to your peerage.”
“…Not belonging in my peerage, but only belonging in my team…”
Also, it wasn’t just limited to a Devil’s peerage, it could be formed for a specific purpose just like [DxD] was. Indeed, aside from a peerage, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to form a team. The question is, for what purpose…. In the case of private guards, do they need a reason to be hired? However, if they were to be hired, I don’t know what they would do right now. To protect the safety of the Hyoudou household? Hmm, when suddenly faced with that, I can’t think of anything. While I focused my thoughts on that, Vali continued
“If you asked me which side I wanted to fight with, compared to the team that Rias Gremory’s leads, I would want to fight against the team that you formed even more. You could call it the selfish desire of a rival.”
Well, when you say it like that. Reasons for Rias and Vali to fight…were very few. For Rias, Vali was just the rival of a peerage member. On the other hand, Vali thought that Rias was just the master of his rival. Using that as a reason to fight was just too…. In that case, I’ll form my own team after I become independent, and then fight with Vali, there’ll be no problems that way. “…But, we need to cross over the bridge in front of us first.”
—That conversation with Vali then came to a halt. Saying whatever he wanted, and then ending it whenever he wanted, he was truly a troublesome guy. But, I also nodded in agreement. “Yes, we must get past this.”
“Don’t die, Hyoudou Issei.”
“You as well, Vali.”
The two of us encouraged each other, and at that time, we saw Azazel-sensei in front of us. “Oh, so you two came.”
Behind sensei, I could see the members of the Occult Research Club, the Vali Team, and Ikuse Tobio’s Slash Dog Team; it was quite a grand assemble. “Sensei and everyone!”
“Azazel huh.”
When Vali and I arrived — the Occult Research Club members ran towards me. “Ise! Does that mean you’re going to fight!? Are you really alright! ?”
“Hold on, are you serious, darling! ?”
Xenovia and Irina felt around my body for confirmation. I said to everyone
“I will also fight! Trihexa has also headed towards Japan, so I can’t possibly continue sleeping!”
Hearing my declaration, Rias appeared somewhat speechless, and helplessly sighed. “…There’s really nothing that’ll stop you.”
“That’s right. If we’re going, then we’ll all go together. No matter what, we’ll overcome it together.”
Akeno-san also giggled softly. She swiftly agreed to my request to fight. But, the two of them pointed at me with their fingers, and sternly said to me
““But, you definitely can’t be reckless!””
“I-I get it!”
—I replied to them! It’ll be scary if I make those two angry, and I don’t want to make them sad either. Asia nodded and added to that from the side
“Yes, it’s impossible for Ise-san not to stop the crisis in Japan…. I’m also very worried, but I’ll be there to assist Ise-san.”
It was a change from the Asia of the past, who would have said ‘Please don’t go!’ to stop me if I was still recuperating…but how would it be best to say it, Asia already understood my determination, and knew that I would say that so she decided to help me with treatment and recovery. Azazel-sensei also smiled wryly as he sighed, and casually pat my head. “Well, I already knew that you wouldn’t obediently stay in bed. —But, you definitely can’t be reckless, alright?”
“Yes!”
As expected of sensei! He really knew me too well! Dragon Deification…I won’t use it. At that time, Ravel took a step forward and handed a small bottle to me. “This is Ise-sama’s Phoenix Tear.