I was in bad shape for a while, but I would be okay.
After she performed some healing magic with help from Momo-chan, Sitri-senpai explained that apparently the bullet that had pierced my abdomen had also nicked at least two of my vital organs. That mixed with the light poisoning apparently would've killed me if we had been two minutes slower.
Issei, on the other hand, would only have died if he had spent a good thirty minutes with that light poisoning without being healed. Light from the mass-produced light swords of Exorcists was apparently less potent than that of light spears.
My injuries were the most severe, but Sitri-senpai worked wonders. She told me that as long as I took it easy for a while, I should be just fine.
"There are two types of Exorcists." Gremory-senpai stated after I finally calmed down after we returned. I had been a little stubborn. It was only when I started to black out that I finally calmed down enough to let Momo and Senpai use their magic to heal me.
I sat on a couch opposite to Gremory-senpai, Ruruko sitting next to me, holding my hand with an incredibly worried expression on her face which was mirrored by Issei, Momo, and Yuka.
"The first are the Exorcists who receive the blessing from God to perform exorcism in the name of justice." Sitri-senpai continued. "This group of Exorcist borrows its power from God and Angels to eliminate Devils. And there is another one. — 'Stray Exorcists'."
"I heard Kiba use that word back with Freed, 'Stray Exorcist'." Issei noted. "What are they exactly?"
Sitri-senpai adjusted her glasses. "Exorcism is a holy ceremony that is performed in the name of God. But sometimes, there are Exorcists who start to enjoy the act of killing Devils. They are beings who have found killing Devils as joy and as their purpose of life. So they get kicked out from the Church without exception or they get erased for being found guilty."
I nodded. "I take 'erased' to mean 'killed'. Is that correct?"
"Yes. But there are those who survive. What do you think happens to those Exorcists?" Gremory-senpai asked rhetorically. "It's simple. They go to the Fallen Angels."
"So even Fallen Angels have servants." I noticed. "The Angels who were rejected by Heaven and the Exorcists who were rejected by the Church. It makes sense that the two groups would work with one another if their shared goal is to kill Devils."
"Yes." Gremory-senpai agreed. "That's why they are called 'Stray Exorcists'. So the dangerous Exorcists who became addicted to Devil-hunts started to attack Devils and the humans with connections to Devils by borrowing powers from the Fallen Angels. The boy priest from earlier is exactly that. He's a 'Stray Exorcist' who belongs to an organisation with the support of the Fallen Angels. They are not proper Exorcists, but they are still dangerous like the proper ones. No, since they have no restrictions on them, they are much harder to deal with than the actual Exorcists. It's not smart to deal with them. So, the Church you went to before does not belong to God but to the Fallen Angels."
I felt my heart stop.
If that was where the Fallen Angels were based, then that would mean that Raynare was there too…I literally almost walked straight to my death again. With my guard down, she could've killed me in an instant.
Stray Exorcists really were more dangerous. More-so to the humans then the Devils. The Devils at least usually have a way of defending themselves. That shitty priest was definitely the worst. His only thought was that of killing Devils. A group like that was dangerous enough that even I wouldn't take them on alone.
However…
I turned to Gremory-senpai and Sitri-senpai. "I have to save Asia!"
"No way!" "Out of the question!"
My senpais spoke at the exact same time with a sense of urgency.
I stood up quickly, slamming both of my hands onto the table between us.
"Why not?!"
"It's impossible." Gremory-senpai stated. "How will you fight them?"
I narrowed my eyes, forcing Divine Dividing to appear on my back.
"This is how! I'll use Divine Dividing to help me beat the shit out of every one of those bastards who come my way! I made a promise to rescue Asia and I intend to keep it!"
Gremory-senpai shook her head. "You are a Devil. And she is a servant of Fallen Angels. It's the two kinds that cannot coexist. Saving her means making the Fallen Angels your enemies. …If that happened, we would also have to fight."
"I don't know why Asia is involved with the Fallen Angels and I don't care! I have to do something!"
Issei, who had remained silent this whole time, raised his hand to ask a question.
"Um…Buchou…I understand that it's dangerous, but why shouldn't Haruto at least be given a chance to try and save Asia-san? She saved his life."
Gremory-senpai sighed. "That's the not the issue here, Issei. The situation is even more complicated since Haruto is Leviathan-sama's [Queen], her most important piece."
...What?
Sitri-senpai nodded. "Yes. You may not quite understand it, Haruto—" As odd as it was, I only realized just now that Sitri-senpai had recently been calling me "Haruto" during our encounter with the Stray Exorcist Freed. "—but causing trouble with the Fallen Angels could very well start a second Great War between the three factions. It's worsened since you're Onee-sama's servant. You're different from normal Reincarnated Devils. Whatever normal Devils can't do, it goes double for you. And your actions also reflect on Onee-sama as well. If you were to cause another war, Onee-sama, your King would be made to bear all of the responsibility for your actions. Is that what you want?"
I felt my heart stop cold. "I…"
Sera-tan…my master…she would get all of the blame because of my actions.
But Asia…she was in danger.
But Serafall—but Asia—but…
No matter what I did, someone I cared about would suffer… it's not fair!
I clenched my fists, needing to vent this frustration.
"RAAAAAAAAH!" Before everyone's eyes, I smashed my fist down on the table between us, splitting it in half on the ground.
Everyone except my Senpais was taken aback by me.
I started taking deep breaths, in and out.
"Haruto…" Ruruko clasped her hands together, staring at me with sad eyes.
After taking several more deep breaths, I turned away from the others, trudging to the door to the room.
"I'm fine… I'm just going to go home now…"
I walked out of the room and my back was turned to them, but I could tell everyone was staring at me. Some with passive expressions and others with concerned stares.
"Haruto!"
I heard Ise call out, running into the hall after me. "Listen, I—"
"I said it's fine, Issei." I reiterated. I managed a smile at my brother. "You were just trying to help. You were all just trying to help me. It's my own fault for being so damn weak after all."
I continued walking, leaving Issei behind me.
***
(Issei)
I watched Haruto walk off, leaving me alone in that empty hallway.
Ever since the encounter with that Stray Exorcist, I had felt so guilty…
I had lasted literally ten seconds. Even now, I was still far weaker than Haruto, the guy whose been saving my ass since middle school.
And because of that, he had to become even stronger. He keeps getting stronger and stronger and giving that strength to others… but he always forgets to leave some for himself.
I recognized that smile on his face.
It was fake as shit.
He always wearing that smile when he was hurting.
That's the kind of guy that bastard always was…
At times like these, no matter how much a pain in the ass it was…I could only stand and watch.
That's the kind of useless guy I always was…
...Dammit…
***
...Why… WhywhywhywhywhywhywhyWHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHY!?
…Everything hurts.
Not my body, but my soul itself…
Why was I so weak…? Why can't I do anything…?
My surroundings blurred and mixed about, forming an indiscernible image around me.
My body moved according more according to instinct. I stumbled and swayed as I continued walking…
I didn't even realize where I was heading until I got there.
I stood at the front door of my house. I didn't even possess the willpower to knock on the door. I just fell forward, slamming my head against it. I pulled myself away, trying to work up what I needed to knock…
Nope…I just hit my head against the door again…
There was the sound of the door unlocking and opening.
"HARUTO, YOU BETTER-!"
Naru-nee… she opened the door… She stopped when she saw my face.
Tears rolled down the sides of my face, my eyes bloodshot since I had been crying the whole trip home…
"...Naru-nee…" I choked out. I fell forward into my Onee-sama's embrace, being held and comforted.
Naru-nee gave a sad sigh. "...What an idiot…"
But she didn't let me go. She didn't ask what was wrong with me. She didn't intrude upon what was bothering me. She just held me, rubbing my back calmly and reassuringly.
I couldn't help it…
"Dammit…damn it all…" I whispered, crying in my big sister's comforting hug.
I haven't changed a single bit since I was little. I was the same weak child as I was back then.
I'm not a hero.
I couldn't keep a single promise.
...I'm so worthless…
I was truly a worthless Devil.
***
The next day…
I sat on a bench in a children's park. I had agreed to skip school that day because I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to face the others after what happened. I had pretty much snapped like a stick.
My wounds from from the other day still hadn't completely healed and I was just being angry with myself. Sitri-senpai and Gremory-senpai both agreed I should take a rest after the battle yesterday.
With my injuries, I couldn't even take on Devil jobs in my state let alone take on the Fallen Angels and Stray Exorcists. If there were others who were kinda strong like Freed, then I was in trouble…
I may as well just enjoy the peace…Ha. Yeah right.
When I wasn't thinking about how pathetic I was last night, breaking down into tears into Naru-nee's arms, I was thinking about Asia.
But I had to save Asia somehow… but I couldn't help but wonder how she ended up in that situation…
That sad look she had on her face on the day we met… maybe if I had asked about it, things never would've ended up like this. Maybe this was all my fault too… wouldn't be shocking…
I have to find a way to get stronger! And fast too! I have no idea what's happening to Asia right now!
Without strength, you can't do anything as a Devil. If I could get stronger, then maybe I could find some way to rescue Asia…
That was when a loud growl came from my stomach.
DAMMIT, STOMACH! Now's not the time for food!
I sighed after the growling continued. I had skipped breakfast that morning.
"OK, breakfast first, then I go back to finding a way to save—" That was when a familiar golden-color appeared in my vision. The blonde hair of a familiar girl.
She noticed me as well and both of our eyes widened in surprise.
"Haruto-san?"
I continued staring.
"A-Asia?!"