"So, looks like BOTH of our futures are depending on the outcome of your game, Rias-senpai." I sighed out, carrying an insanely large number of bags on my back. We were heading up to a training camp up in the mountains for the next ten days so we could train for the Rating Game against Riser. While I was in no way Rias-senpai's servant, Sona and I agreed it would be best if I went with the Gremory group to train to help them prepare. "I still can't believe your parents would be so selfish as to make you marry a person like Riser."
With the number of Pure-blooded Devils becoming low due to the big war between the three factions hundreds of years ago, Senpai's father made a deal with Riser's father that Senpai and Riser would get married… as an attempt to repopulate the Pure-bloods.
I felt nauseous at the thought of mini-Risers running about. One Yakitori-douchbag was bad enough. It would be even worse for my friend who would have been the mother.
"That's why it's very important to me that we win this Rating Game." Rias said. "I don't want my future to be decided by anyone but myself."
I shrugged. "I get it. It's horribly annoying when someone else makes decisions regarding your future without your consent."
"Haruu-taaaaan!" I felt a familiar softness press against my side as my master's arms wrapped around my own.
Leviathan-sama hugged me closely, nuzzling her face against mine. "I'm so happy Haru-tan let me come with you for your training!"
"..." I turned to Rias-senpai, blank-faced. "Did you hear something?" Rias-senpai seemed hesitant to answer.
Leviathan-sama pouted before getting a perverted grin. "Nice try, Haru-tan, tryin' to ignore me! But ya can't ignore this!" Before I could protest, the existence whom I was ignoring grabbed both sides of my face and shoved it in-between "its" bosoms.
"AAAAIIIIIIEEEE!" I heard Issei screeching from further down the stairs. "No fair! That damned bastard always gets all the luck with girls! Why does he always get his face shoved into oppai and touch them all the time when I can't even get lucky with a girl even once! It's so unfaaaaaaiiiiir!" Without a single bit of hesitation, I placed my hands on the shoulders of Leviathan-sama and pushed myself out from between her bosoms, allowing myself to breathe. My expression remained unchanged. I just didn't care.
"Nope. Probably just the wind." I said.
"O-Oi…Haru-tan…" Leviathan-sama said, her voice shaking slightly and her smile beginning to fall slightly. "C-Come oooon, Haru-tan!"
"Stay away from Onii-chan, evil Onee-chan!" I looked up to see Jack's face poking out from on top of my large load on my back. Jack was short and so were her legs. Climbing up these many stairs definitely would have been a hassle for her. Since my stuff could hardly get any harder to carry, I allowed her to ride on top so she wouldn't have to walk. I softly smiled up at her.
"It's no trouble, Jack. After all, what is there to be mad at when there's nothing there, right?" Even though I tried to suppress it, I just couldn't forgive nor could I resist releasing the incredibly cold presence towards a certain person whose smile finally left their face. Then I turned to Issei. "Well maybe if you weren't such an apparent pervert, a girl might let you get close enough to do such things, Issei!" I shouted back at him. "It would help if you stopped slacking behind! Me, Koneko, and Yuuki are way ahead of you!"
"Oi! You guys are like monsters!" Issei screamed, crying.
I smirked to myself. "Fine then. I guess there is only room for one Harem King in Kuoh and that would be me. Have fun being single for the rest of your life." Of course I was just teasing him. With Issei's combination of perversion and stupidity, this idiot wouldn't give up even if his goal killed him. I was just giving him a little motivation. I snorted to myself. "A guy who complains like you will never graduate from being a virgin."
"WHAT'D YOU SAAAAAY!?" I could almost see steam pouring from Issei's ears due to rage. "Screw you, you damned handsome! Alright! I'll definitely surpass that damned bishounen! I'll show you! I'm gonna be the first to the top and I'll beat ALL OF YOOOOOU!" Then he was off, ignoring the previous exhaustion and slowness he had been previously complaining about as he soared up the stairs past Rias and I, leaving me smirking and Rias-senpai staring in amusement.
"Ah, playing off on his abnormally high level of desire to motivate him. It appears I underestimated you, Haruto-kun." Rias-senpai noted with an amused smile. "You are especially cruel."
I faked a hurt expression. "Ah! You wound me, dear Rias! Is it truly so cruel to desire to motivate one's bro to surpass his previous limits by inspiring him with the thought of his dream failing due to his lack of male pride?" But in all seriousness, my main goal here was to help Issei and the others train and enhance their power as Devils.
"My Haru-tan is definitely the best!" My master cheered once more. Of course, I ignored her.
I admit my power level was nowhere near my master's nor even Rias's by this point, but I was told by Akeno-san during one of our magic-training sessions that my power was indeed superior to Issei's and even Koneko and Yuuki's by this point. While I couldn't match their individual powers such as Yuuki's swordsmanship or Koneko-chan's experience with her Rook-like strength, I was superior in terms of power. Akeno-san that even she would find me to be a difficult opponent to overcome… although, she did word it strangely with a rather perverted look on her face so there's a fair chance I might have mistook the meaning.
"Buchou, I gathered some herbs." Yuuki said as she walked up to us, smiling calmly. "Let's use it for the meal tonight." I was impressed she had both the stamina and the time to gather those herbs. That's the speed of a Knight for ya.
My eyes lit up. "Leave it to me! If it's a seasoning or ingredient in some way, then I can definitely cook it into something tasty!" If there was one thing I could certainly take pride in, it was my cooking skills.
Yuuki smiled at me. "Alright then. I'll leave it to you, Haruto-kun."
"… See you later." Koneko-chan walked right past both of us, not bothering to start a conversation. I just stared blankly as my much smaller kouhai casually strolled past me.
"Overtaken by a white-haired loli…" I muttered. "Oh, my pride. My wounded pride."
"It's okay, Haru-tan!" My master said. "Let your adorable master give you a hug to make you feel better!" I sidestepped just as a short figure launched themselves at me, narrowly avoiding their arms. Said figure stumbled after their failed lunge, but didn't fall down.
I shrugged. "Oh well. Come on, Rias-senpai. It would be a shame if you were outdone by your servants, would it not?" Senpai looked at me worriedly and then at my master, seeming uncertain on how to respond, but she eventually nodded. I heard her mumble a small apology to my master as we continued on our way.
If I had turned around even once, I probably would have seen a sad, teary-eyed woman with her arms hanging hopelessly limp at her sides, staring up at me as I continued walking on the path away from her.
𖦹𖦹𖦹
(Serafall's POV)
Haru…tan?
I just stood there and watched as the shape of my most adorable Queen became smaller and smaller the further the distance between us became. Not once did he even glance back at me or smile or even speak a single word that was intended for me alone. No, Haru-tan was completely ignoring me… on purpose.
I felt hot tears roll down the sides of my face, the cause being the ever-increasing pain in my chest.
Haru-tan… whatever it is, I'm sorry! I'm sorry I made you mad at me, but please! Acknowledge me! Please don't forget my existence! Please don't leave me alone! I'm sorry!
"Why… Why, Haru-tan…?" I sat on the steps, curling up into a ball, hugging my legs to my chest. "Why are you so mad at me…?"
Did I offend you, Haru-tan…? Did I not love you enough? Why…? Why…?
"It's because you did something unforgivable."
I almost jumped right out of my adorable magical girl outfit at the sound of the voice that appeared right next to me. I looked around to see nobody within my immediate sight.
Magical Girl Senses-Tingling! There's something dangerous in the area!
Just as I was about to get my magic wand and wish the trouble away, I felt a tug at my skirt. "We're down here."
I directed my gaze downwards to see my adorable adopted imouto, Jack-chan! I crouched down and smiled at my adorable younger sister who referred to everyone as "Onii-chan" or "Onee-chan"!
I managed a small smile for my adorable adoptive sister. "Oh, hiya, Jack-chaaaan!"
But I felt something strange. Her expression… it was blank. Absolutely blank, showing no emotion whatsoever. It reminded me of back in the Familiar Forest… right before she tried to attack my precious So-tan. I had forgiven Jack-chan for that because So-tan and Haru-tan convinced me to do so and because she was soooooo ADORABLE when she apologized!... but now she was clearly dissatisfied. This child—no—This Evil Spirit clearly meant me no good will.
"You betrayed Onii-chan, Successor of Leviathan-sama." This was no longer the voice of an adorable child. Rather, it was a voice that sounded centuries old. One that had been broken over the course of time and coming to sound as if thousands of voices had been born as a result. "You treated him as a betting chip to be traded away and hurt him."
That was when a hot sensation flared up in my chest. It wasn't the pain I felt or the happiness and joy I felt around Haruto…
It was anger. For the first time in many years, I was genuinely angry. Furious even. I wasn't sure what I was even angry about, but this Evil Spirit's words were certainly the cause.
"I would never betray Haru-tan!" I screamed at her as loudly as I could. "I only agreed to the Phenex-chan's challenge because winning would mean Haru-tan would already get his first servants! After Rias-chan wins, he'll already be started with his Peerage once he reaches High-Class! How dare you question my love for my most adorable Queen!"
"If." Jack-chan replied calmly, completely unfazed by my outburst. "IF Rias wins. You have no guarantee that the Gremory heiress will be the victor of her confrontation with Riser. We are all but certain she will fail, in fact. But of that matter, we do not care. We are only concerned for Onii-chan and his promise towards us. But you… you hurt him…" Jack-chan's fists began to tremble at her sides, the small Evil Spirit greatly resisting her own anger. "You didn't even consider what Onii-chan wanted! You bet him without hesitation! Onii-chan isn't someone you can just play around with! I will never forgive you!" For the first time in the conversation, Jack-chan raised her voice to me, revealing some of her previously suppressed feelings. "You… you didn't even think about how everyone else felt…"
She paused again. I just stared at the child… I realized now that the trembling she had was not due to suppressing anger…
"I'll never forgive you if I lose Onii-chan again…"
It was due to suppressing tears. The hatred that the child bore towards me and the sadness she held within herself…
All for the one she loved most.
I felt my own heart begin to ache again, this time worse than before. It wasn't just due to Haruto ignoring and being mad at me… Gah! This feeling! Whatever it is, it's awful!
"Jaaaaaaack!"
My heart skipped a beat when I heard the voice of my precious Queen, but then sank when I realized he had no intention of calling my name.
"Jack, where'd you go?!"
Jack-chan gave me one more sharp look before her expression changed to that of the adorable girl she had been several moments ago.
"Coming Onii-chan!" Jack-chan called back, running in the direction away from me and towards my precious Queen.
And yet again, I was all alone.
Only difference from before is now I hurt only so much more…