Kuoh.
I sat at a table of a small establishment and smiled as I looked at Sona and Sairaorg across the table. Sairaorg wasn't embarrassed by anything, and was enthusiastically eating ice cream in a large glass cup with lots of chocolate, wafers, and vanilla. Sona, on the other hand...
- "You really picked an excellent place to meet to discuss our business. I would have applauded you, but alas, you would have taken it as sarcasm," she said with a stone face.
We were in the maid cafe where Mo-chan and Irina worked. The whole place was in white and pink colors, themed decorations, dedicated to cosplay and maids. White tablecloths, soft sofas with drawings similar to Something Kitty, lace and other interior elements as if hinting at kindness and cuteness.
Irina served the customers in a rather modest manner, unlike Mo-chan that looked at them as trash. And this approach of hers was much more popular, making Mo-chan the most sought-after maid in the entire cafe. She greeted and served her guests using 'sir' and so on, that is, as usual, except that the rest of the phrases mostly consisted of crude almost insults. I don't know if all the visitors of this place were masochists or just perverts.
Of course, she could have not done that and tried to leave, except that Arturia also works in the service industry, and her actions would have upset 'father'. Although, given that Morgan and I are technically married, I am also her 'father', well, on paper.
- "Uh-oh? I'm glad you appreciate my choice. You can order whatever you want. I'm feeling especially generous today," I nodded, "So, shall we get started?"
- "That was sarcasm."
- "No, it wasn't."
- "I know better what I meant, Romani-sensei."
- "I would argue with that statement."
- "I do not."
- "Unfortunately, your opinion doesn't count. Sairaorg likes everything. Democracy and all that."
- "This isn't an election, and we didn't hold a vote," Sona said with a twitch of her eyebrow.
- "It's good. I think I'll take Quisha a couple of these. She likes that sort of thing," he said calmly, and then looked at us, "And you know, if I didn't know better, I would have called you two newlyweds."
- "W-what?!" Sona blushed instantly, "D-don't talk nonsense!"
- "I'm only telling you what I see, and I'm being honest," Sairaorg laughed lightly, "And what do you say, Lord Archaman?"
- "Anything is possible, though it doesn't depend on me," I said, and he smiled, and Sona lowered her head, taking the hint, "In any case, I understand you wanted to cash in the game reward?"
- "You're right," he nodded, and the smile slowly slid off his face, and then Sairaorg stepped out from behind the table and bowed. I, on the other hand, placed a closed field around us, realizing exactly what he would ask, "Please help my mother."
I remained silent, and seeing that, he continued.
- "If... if my powers weren't enough, I'm willing to do anything," he said, "I just want her to open her eyes, and... see what I've accomplished."
Demons value strength and only strength. And when his mother, Misla Bael, gave birth to Sairaorg, a child with negligible reserves of demonic power and no 'Power of Destruction', they became outcasts.
They were settled on the outskirts of the Bael clan's territory so as not to show their shame. Rias' mother, the current Lady Gremory, maiden name Venelana Bael, tried to take them in, but his father refused her, and not only her. When Sairaorg pulled himself together and decided to prove to everyone that he was worth something, and then started getting results, Misla fell into a coma and still hasn't come out of it.
However, as far as I'm concerned, all demon affairs were basically tied up in intrigue and other nonsense. Sairaorg's mother suddenly slipped into a coma all of a sudden and no one knew anything? Not even the doctors? That sounded like a stretch.
Also, he didn't ask to cure her, but at least to wake her up. Not because he didn't want to, far from it, but because he was afraid to pressure me in any way, that is, to influence my decision. After all, I had the last word. Sairaorg wanted to show his mother that her child wasn't so useless, and that it wasn't her fault that things happened the way they did.
- "Hmmm..." I mumbled, to which Sairaorg tensed, still in a crouched position, and Sona wisely chose to pretend she wasn't here, "You needn't worry so much, I'll fulfill your request. And no, you don't need to do anything else on top of that, you deserve it, and so does your mother. Can you tell me her name?"
- "Misla. Misla Bael," he straightened up, and then he said her name with pride and love and looked at me with eyes full of joy, "Thank you, Lord Archaman."
- "It is too early to thank me yet. I will visit her tomorrow at noon, do you mind?"
- "Of course not! We'll give you a proper reception, don't you doubt it."
- "Again, that won't be necessary. I'm sure Rias told you that."
- "Yes, she called you an extremely rude, childish and self-righteous person," he nodded, "But then she added that you are fair and kind, even if you try to hide it."
- "Oh? She is? I'm flattered," I grinned, and Sona rolled her eyes, "Anyway, expect my visit tomorrow. I'll find you on my own, so there's no point in you telling me where, or sending some sort of invitation."
- "Understood. See you tomorrow, Lord Archaman, and again, thank you," he said, and, leaving the money on the table for the ice cream I had ordered, while I removed the closed field, walked out of the establishment.
- "And he's strong," I smiled, looking after him, "Not physically, but mentally."
- "You're right," Sona nodded, "Sometimes I wonder if I could have achieved the same things if I had the same circumstances."
- "Would you? Probably. The others? I doubt it," I shrugged and took a sip from the half-liter cup of coffee they served here, "So, why didn't you leave with him? I think you have something for me."
- "It's…" Sona hesitated, "This is going to sound presumptuous, but... why don't you just take the offer? Putting aside your jokes and sarcasm, I've come to the conclusion that you're not opposed to our marriage. You speak well of me and my actions, but for some reason you're in no hurry to accept."
I grinned.
Come to think of it, I did find Sona attractive. She had good looks without excesses and, most importantly, a head on her shoulders that she knew how to use. However, it was as if she lacked something. She and Yasaka have roughly the same circumstances, but I didn't see any problems with the latter for some reason. Though...
- "Honestly, I don't know myself," I shrugged, "But it's kind of interesting that you've never once expressed your position on it."
- "I... It's complicated..."
- "I have a crazy theory. Do you want to hear it?" I asked, to which she nodded briefly, "Does it have to do with your, shall I say, insecurity? Like you're afraid of being too ordinary and gray against someone else's background. Let's say Serafall. And assuming that's the case, everything falls into place. Including the fact that you didn't prevent her when she offered herself in your place."
She remained silent and lowered her eyes, to which I rubbed my temples.
And here was the answer. She lacked self-confidence. I recognized only two women as a couple: Morgan and Tia. The first was synonymous with the word confidence, for she always knew what she wanted and how to achieve it, well, when she had gone through a certain path. The second, on the other hand, never doubted herself, and did what she thought was right, including letting her children lock her in the Space of imaginary numbers. Roughly the same was true of Yasaka and Rizevim.
Sona, on the other hand, I realized, saw herself only as a shadow of Serafall. Beauty, intelligence, strength. In all of these things, the older one was superior to her sister, which was probably why Sona preferred not to take a stand on an issue when it didn't concern her alone. In the eyes of others, she would just be trying to emulate Serafall and be an upstart.
- "I guess the problems of the youngest child in the family haven't gone away, even among demons," I said, taking another sip of coffee, "You know, not that I'm well versed on the subject, but I think you should just... chock it up, I guess. Abstract away from other people's opinions of you and think about what exactly you want, and then how you're going to get there. I'm not a psychologist or anything, but that sounds like a workable option to me."
- "What do you mean by that?"
- "Well, imagine you're an omnipotent goddess or whatever and see what's left afterward. Again, I'm no expert, but it's worth a try," I shrugged.
- "That... sounds good," she mumbled, and I looked over at Mo-chan, who was baring her teeth and handing over someone's order.
Maybe we should take Mo-chan and Irina and then run over to the macduck. I think it would be interesting. Also, Archer would be good to bring along. Uh-huh, uh-huh.
-0-
A/N: How's the chapter? Give us your opinion. You may well be able to influence future chapters.
My P.a.t.r.e.o.n: P.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m/mirzael
You'll be able to read more chapters there.