Very well, then I’ll go against Asia and Irina, and defeat both of you at once!”’
Elmenhilde stood by Xenovia’s side and said
“Since it’s two against one, I’ll stand on Xenovia-san’s side.”
Like this, an impromptu two on two competition began in the underground training area. I smiled as I watched them, when Ravel appeared by my side all of a sudden. Ravel quietly said
“I think we will use Elmenhilde-sama in this match.”
I enjoyed myself as I watched Elmenhilde play basketball while I replied to Ravel’s words with
“Yeah, let’s do that. She wants to change herself, and also chose to come over to my side. …Since I know the reason now, I should lend her a hand.”
That’s right, we should grow together. No matter what the situation, that’s how my comrades and I overcame so many difficulties—. Like this, we progressed into the day of the match along with our new team members ‘Nakiri Kouchin Ouryuu’ and ‘Elmenhilde Karnstein’. Usually used as slang or informally to refer to an older brother. Apparently paisen is slang for senpai/senior. In traditional Chinese culture, it is believed to be the circulating life force or energy that is thought to be inherent in all things.—Dulio Gesualdo is the best Angel. In the human realm — a certain European country. Upon a small hill in the corner of a small city, there was a small tombstone. The person standing in front of that tombstone was — the man ranked seventh in the Rating Games, the supervisor of the [Trump Card of Heaven] team, Rudiger Rosenkreutz. A bunch of flowers were laid upon the grave — as well as a toy robot. …Resting beneath the grave was his beloved son. After Rudiger reincarnated as a Devil, he became active in the Rating Games, and after a long time, he finally had his first child. Although there were rumours that it was much easier for reincarnated Devils to have children than pure-blooded Devils, it had still taken many long years for his first child to be born. The child that he had been looking forward to…arrived into this world with a disease. …If it was a disease that had a name, even that would have been better. But regardless of whether it was human medical technology, or Devils’ technology, or magical techniques, none of them could find a treatment. Though, what his own child carried was — a Sacred Gear. While enduring the erosion of the Sacred Gear, he lived but gradually weakened; because of the mysterious power of the Sacred Gear, his body was gradually eroded. As long as someone carried a trace of human blood, then it was possible to have children who were born with a Sacred Gear. But I never could have imagined that my own child would be born with a Sacred Gear, and on top of that, to have no immunity to it…. Regardless of whether the Sacred Gear was forcefully removed or sealed, the risk of death still lingered, and both the researchers and doctors of the Underworld had said that my child would not live for long. Since birth, my child’s time was limited—. But even so, it was still my hard-won and adorable child. Rudiger and his wife did their best to meet the requests of their child. They bought him whichever toy he wanted, and when the condition of his body was better, they took him wherever he wanted to go. And when his child’s body suddenly failed, he even withdrew from important matches. That was the extent of Rudiger’s love for his child—. …However, the time limit for his life was in danger, and the final verdict had also been handed down from the doctor. …Even if he left behind a legacy in the Rating Games, became feared by even more high-class Devils, and inspired even more human reincarnated Devils, he was still unable to save his own child. Rudiger watched on as his child’s body grew increasingly frail, he felt pain at his own powerlessness, and cursed himself. However, it was on a certain day. When Rudiger asked his own child what he wanted. My child lay on the hospital bed and looked up into the sky outside the window and spoke with a little consideration
—I want to see an Angel. I heard that there is an amazing Angel in Heaven called Joker. Rudiger’s child had a rather unique interest. Instead of focusing on the popular ‘Oppai Dragon’ or Diehauser Belial, he wanted to see a white-winged Angel. If this was the past, then it would have been a distant dream, but it was possible in the present. But the person that he wanted to see was one of the strongest in Heaven, the Joker Dulio Gesualdo. He had constantly been involved in the fight against terrorism, so his schedule was very tight. And upon hearing about some Church institutions, he learned that there were also other children who suffered because of their Sacred Gears, and he was fighting for them. …But on this side, he was a Devil. He was a far lower priority. To him, the children in the Church institutions would always be his number one consideration. …However, he knew that the end his child’s life was approaching. As if seizing a final lifeline, Rudiger wrote a letter, and sent it to Heaven through the Underworld’s government. …Even if he was a famous person in the Rating Games, he still had no relation to Heaven. The possibility of his letter arriving there, and the possibility of it being read, was probably zero. Rudiger didn’t have high hopes, but believed that it was the least he could do. —However, a few days after the letter was sent out. “Oh, it’s our first meeting. I heard that there was a child who wanted to see me, so I immediately flew over.”
He came. He actually came to the Underworld…! —He stood in front of my child. My son looked at the Joker with an expression of longing. My child’s originally spiritless face was overflowing with light because of his appearance. After that, Dulio used his free time to visit my child. Even though he clearly had to take care of other children, and he obviously had a lot of work to take care of. He dealt with all of it so that he could make spare time to smile in front of my child. Time and time again—. It was a miracle that Rudiger’s child was able to live a little longer than the doctors had anticipated. …However, he still could not escape from the fate of death. Even so, his child had departed from the world with a satisfied expression. At the very end he was truly happy to be able to converse with Dulio. When he thought of going to thank the Joker, Rudiger saw it. —It was a pained and regretful look that Dulio Gesualdo showed when he shed tears for his child. “…Did you want to live for a bit longer? There should have been many more places that you wanted to visit. There should have been many more delicious things that you wanted to eat…. But because of the suffering from the Sacred Gear bestowed unto you by God-sama, you departed without growing up…it is simply too unreasonable…”
When he saw the expression that Dulio made for the death of his child — Rudiger was moved to tears. —Dulio Gesualdo is the best Angel. The Angel that my child adored is the best Joker.