Hearing my words, the tiger beast-man made an angry expression where he didn’t have even the slightest confidence. [I don’t give a shit about you anymoooooore! I’ve decided to kill you noooow!] The beast-man made the claws of both his hands longer and slashed them down at me. I couldn’t dodge after losing every bit of my stamina with the attack earlier, and—. It happened when I prepared to receive critical damage. I heard a voice that I was very familiar with. “—A “Stray” that didn’t realise this was my territory……that explains the low calibre of yours.”
Zaaaaaa…… The trees made a noise. “I kept you waiting, boy.”
The one who suddenly appeared between me and the beast-man was my master, Okita Souji. He had his usual smile. What happened to the beast-man’s attack? I was in doubt……but the tiger beast-man himself was frozen in a posture where had his claws downwards, and the huge body of his gets ripped into pieces a few seconds after that. Master slashed him into pieces with his god-speed the same time he arrived here. I wasn’t able to see Master move and when he drew his sword. While I fixed the graves with master and Rias Gremory, master said this to me quietly. “Boy. You said this to me before. —That Devils are beings that destroy humans.”
In the fishing I had with him back then, I said something like that to him. Master continued while he put the swords that would be used as a grave on the earth that is sticking out. “I was the same. I also thought hard about it when I reincarnated. About quitting being a human and becoming an existence that represents evil. During that time, my master Sirzechs Lucifer said this to me.”
[I would like you to think on that on your own. I simply gave you a chance. How you would live and how you would spend time. That is something for you to decide. Except, would you help me with my job at times as my servant? I believe that swordsmanship is something necessary for me. However, if you were to become a threat to the humans—then I’ll exterminate you as your master. —But you know, I would like you to remember this. The Devils, the humans, the Angels, and other beings. There isn’t a being in this world that should be terminated.] Master then continued and said this. “Becoming a Devil that would destroy humans would be up to you. But obviously, you, Rias-hime, and I, are clearly not those Devils, right?”
……Back then, I didn’t understand what he meant. Except—. I started to think that I should believe in the crimson haired girl that was fixing the grave really hard beside me. After we somehow shaped the graves, we walked the mountain path together. While we were walking, master asks Rias Gremory. “By the way, Hime. Did you decide on the boy’s name?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure if this child would like it……”
The girl who stared at me gently said this name. “Kiba Yuuto. I thought of it mostly with my feeling, but how about it?”
I smiled at her suggestion and nodded. “Yes, I think that’s a good name.”
Seeing my reaction, both my master and Rias Gremory smiled. Smile……huh. Yeah. I’ll make sure that I’m always smiling. Though I won’t know if I can become like them……
Since I’m able to live, I would live my life smiling. When I arrived at the dojo while the sunshine falls down on me, I made a suggestion to my sword master and crimson haired master. “How about we spin the top with the three of us?”
Even though we were Devils, we started playing it under the sunshine—. The scenery of the snow I can see from the window hasn’t changed at all, but I, Kiba Yuuto, and my master, Rias Gremory, are having fun talking about the past. “Koneko sure didn’t get attached to you that easily.”
Buchou says it while smiling. Yes, Koneko-chan didn’t open up to me that easily, even after I returned to that mansion. Well, it can’t be helped since the first impression she got from me was the worst. However, we started living like siblings after that. Koneko-chan still is my adorable sister till now. And Rias-buchou and Akeno-san are my seniors as well as being like older sisters to me. Buchou says it while making an unpleasant face. “I’m still finding the opportunity where you would call me “Rias-oneechan”.”
I’m so scared that I won’t be able to say that. And I feel really bad for Ise-kun if I did……
However, I think of you as my master and my older sister. I also look up to my master. He is my idealised image of what “Knight” should be. Then someone knocks on the door. The one who enters after I answer is—. A Vampire from the House of Vladi. He’s a youth who resembles Gasper-kun a bit. He must be his pure-blood brother. If he came here directly without calling us to the guest room, that must mean……that something happened. The youth asks Buchou while putting on a serious expression. “I’m sorry for meeting you like this all of a sudden. Rias Gremory-dono, I’m sorry but can you listen to what I have to say?”
“Sure. ……Are you from the House of Vladi?”
The youth nods. If this youth came here instead of the current head who went to the Tepes castle it must mean the situation has changed. “……I have heard that you and your servants have defeated the kins of the Old Maou, Evil God Loki, and the descendants of the Heroes.”
“……What’s going on?”
To Buchou’s question, the youth looks out the window, far towards the Tepes castle. “—Is that truly something that was bestowed by “God from the Bible”? We don’t even know why we, the clan of the dark-night, were given that. For what reason was the “Holy Grail” given to us……”
The youth who breathes out tells us with an expression that doesn’t have any confidence. “Rias Gremory-dono, we must take you to the Valerie Tepes who is the current Head of the House of Tepes as well as the current leader of the Tepes faction.”
“ “—! ?” ”
Buchou and I got shocked at the same time. Their leader is Valerie Tepes……!? ……Ise-kun, Gasper-kun, everyone. It seems something that is beyond our imagination is happening here.