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Chapter 355: Chapter 351 ~ A Quiet Moment

The aftermath in Asgard was left in the hands of the faction leaders, each already engaged in discussions regarding reconstruction, reparations, and the strengthening of future defensive measures.

Naturally, those discussions also addressed the masterminds behind the incident—Loki and Shalba.

Loki would be sealed within the deepest prison of Asgard. 

Though the Trickster God had escaped confinement before, his current condition made such an outcome impossible. Cursed to suffer unimaginable agony so long as divinity flowed within him, he would be incapable of resisting even a common cell meant for petty criminals, let alone the All-Father's most secure prison.

Shalba, on the other hand, would be handed over to the Underworld. The Four Demon Kings would personally judge him, and after a thorough interrogation to extract every secret he possessed regarding Chaos Brigade, he would be executed. Sirzechs and Serafall assured their allies, including Yuuji and his group, that justice would be absolute.

Erika, however, was unwilling to leave anything to chance.

Before Shalba could even entertain the thought of escape, she casually nicked him with Murasame and placed a curse upon him. A curse that ensured any attempt to use magic—even the slightest spark—would rot his soul and sunder his flesh. The stronger the magic he tried to invoke, the greater the suffering it would inflict, escalating until even his soul would be erased from existence.

When Sirzechs asked what kind of curse she had placed on him, Erika answered plainly.

The room fell silent.

The leaders present paled in shock and fear, while Shalba felt all strength drain from his body, the last remnants of resistance vanishing from his eyes.

He had already witnessed the curse's effects on a god—Loki himself.

And he had felt it firsthand when he instinctively tried to heal even a minor wound. The gnawing pain of his soul chipping away with every little attempt to let magic flow to his wounds, and the piercing pain, like scorching needles, all over his body. 

In that moment, every lingering thought of resistance, every desperate hope of escape, crumbled completely.

Shalba knew then—

There would be no running away.

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

After a brief conversation with her teammates, Kuroka jogged back toward Yuuji, her two cat tails swaying happily behind her.

"Yuuji-nya~! I told them to go on ahead! Let's go already~! I wanna see your home!"

Yuuji chuckled softly at her boundless enthusiasm.

"Alright."

He turned to those closest to him—his beloved and his friends: Rias, Akeno, Koneko, and the rest of the peerage. One by one, they met his gaze and nodded in agreement.

"Let's go."

A whirling portal of darkness bloomed open before them, space folding inward like a curtain being drawn aside. One by one, they stepped through, leaving behind the battered realm of Asgard.

When they emerged on the other side, Kuroka, Baraqiel, and Irina—each visiting for the first time—froze in place.

Before them stretched a breathtaking estate.

A vast garden bathed in gentle sunlight. A crystal-clear stone pond that reflected the sky like polished glass. Verdant trees swayed softly beneath a refreshing breeze, their leaves rustling in harmony. And at the heart of it all stood a beautiful traditional Japanese mansion—elegant, serene, and perfectly blended with nature.

"W-Wow~…!" Kuroka breathed, her eyes sparkling.

"This is amazing, nyaa~!"

"Wow…" 

"This place…" Baraqiel murmured, utterly speechless.

Even Issei, Kiba, and Asia—who had visited before—found themselves momentarily stunned. No matter how many times they saw it, the tranquility and beauty of Yuuji's home never failed to leave an impression.

"Fufu~ Nice to meet you!"

A cheerful voice snapped Kuroka out of her daze.

Aika approached with a bright smile, waving energetically.

"I'm Aika! Hubby's wife~!"

Kuroka blinked, then gasped as she took in the woman's beauty and confidence. A wide grin spread across her face, her ears perking up happily.

"Nice to meet you too, nyaa~! I'm Toujou Kuroka~! Shirone's onee-chan! Let's get along~!"

"Of course~!" Aika clasped her hands together happily.

"Then Kuroka-chan, Koneko-chan—let's go pick out your rooms!"

Hand in hand, the two sisters followed after Aika, their laughter echoing as they headed into the main building to choose their rooms.

Meanwhile, Erika—alongside Xenovia, Tatsuya, Lelouch, and Momonga—guided Irina, Issei, and the others toward the main living room so they could rest and recover from the recent battles.

With everything settling down, Yuuji raised his hand and formed a massive [Gate]. The sky rippled, and moments later, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon emerged through it, floating gracefully above the estate like a divine fortress.

A moment later, Semiramis appeared beside him, her regal presence accompanied by Albedo and C.C., ready to return together.

"Master~ Mistresses~"

She greeted them with a graceful curtsy and a sweet, regal smile.

Yuuji returned her smile warmly.

"Thank you for your hard work. You've done well."

Semiramis' eyes widened slightly before her lips curved into a radiant smile, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"It is my pleasure~ Anything for you."

The task she had undertaken—using the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to defend against Shalba's army—had required an immense amount of magical energy. Each beam fired from the gardens was an EX-ranked blast, capable of overwhelming even A-rank Magic Resistance.

Ordinarily, such unrestrained bombardment would have drained her magic reserves dry, forcing her to spend a long time converting ambient ether into usable mana.

But as Yuuji's servant, both she and her gardens were fueled directly by his magic.

And if Semiramis had harbored even the slightest doubt before, it had vanished completely now.

Despite the sheer scale of destruction she had unleashed, she barely felt her magic reserves diminish. After only a brief rest, she had already returned to full power—and the gardens could sustain that level of bombardment for far longer than she ever imagined.

Such an overwhelming amount of magical energy… No, perhaps it was only natural.

Her master was the true and sole Descendant of the First Light.

Truly one of a kind.

Admiration, respect, awe—and a faint, blossoming affection—filled her heart. No task he gave her felt burdensome.

Even if it were difficult, she would still carry it out with everything she had.

But this task?

It had been nothing more than shooting fish in a barrel—without even needing to worry about her reserves.

And to be praised and thanked by him…

She couldn't be happier.

"Let's head inside and rest," Yuuji said gently. "I'll bring out some snacks and prepare some tea."

"I can't wait~" Semiramis replied with a soft smile.

"…Let's go."

Ophis tugged on his sleeve, urging him forward, eager to reach the estate and reclaim her snacks as soon as possible.

Just as they were about to move, a gruff voice called out.

"Tsubakihara Yuuji."

Yuuji, Albedo, C.C., Ophis, and Semiramis turned to see Baraqiel approaching, Akeno at his side. Behind them, Rias watched quietly.

"Baraqiel-san."

Yuuji greeted him politely.

Baraqiel nodded in response, though his gaze immediately shifted to Akeno. A silent question passed between them.

Akeno understood and smiled softly, nodding back.

Only then did Baraqiel relax.

Suddenly, he bowed deeply toward Yuuji.

He thanked him—for protecting his daughter, and for reviving his wife.

Yuuji blinked in surprise. Then, he smiled and nodded.

"I did it for Akeno," he replied honestly. "I hope you'll take good care of them now."

Baraqiel nodded firmly, swearing upon his name and his life.

Father and daughter then turned and began walking together along a separate path, heading toward the other side of the estate.

Toward the place where a family, torn apart by tragedy decades ago, would finally be reunited once more.

"I hope everything will be fine…" Rias murmured softly as she joined Yuuji, Albedo, C.C., Ophis, and Semiramis.

Yuuji watched their retreating figures and smiled gently.

"They will be," he said with quiet certainty. "They're family, after all."

Rias smiled and nodded.

And deep in her heart, she wished for the same—to one day have a warm, loving, and close-knit family of her own. Together with Yuuji, and with her sisters.

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

Yuuji sat quietly on the engawa outside his room.

Behind him, soft candlelight seeped through the opaque paper of the wooden sliding doors, casting a warm glow that framed his silhouette. Ahead of him, the pale moon and a sky full of stars stretched endlessly, their light washing over the garden in silver hues.

It was a rare moment of silence. A rare moment of solitude.

Tonight, Aika had organized a girls' pajama party in her room, inviting everyone who had come to visit—including Ophis, Alice, Aria, and Semiramis. They had enjoyed the outdoor hot spring together before retreating indoors, laughter and excitement echoing through the estate.

Naturally, none of that had happened before Yuuji prepared an assortment of small cakes, sweets, and cookies for them to snack on.

He had only just finished visiting Lelouch, discussing Rizevim's movements and finalizing plans for when the mission would be brought to its conclusion.

The time was drawing near.

Yuuji lifted his gaze toward the star-filled sky. The gentle sound of running water, the whisper of a cool breeze, and the steady thunk of the bamboo fountain by the pond accompanied his thoughts.

He wore only a yukata, loosely tied. The fabric shifted softly with the breeze, brushing against his exposed chest. The night air was cool, but it didn't bother him.

Then, faint footsteps reached his ears.

He turned, eyes widening slightly in surprise as a familiar figure came into view.

Bathed in moonlight, Akeno approached with unhurried steps. Her raven-black hair flowed freely down her back, shimmering softly. Her yukata, tied just as loosely as his, traced the gentle curves of her figure.

"Yuuji-kun…!"

Her smile bloomed beautifully, warmth and affection shining through as her cheeks tinted pink.

"Akeno?" Yuuji asked softly. 

"What are you doing out here? Weren't you supposed to be with Aika and the others?"

"I slipped out," she replied with a gentle laugh. 

"I said I wanted to check on my parents."

She lowered her gaze for a moment before continuing.

"They were finally reunited this afternoon… and I knew they'd have a long—very long—conversation. I wanted to give them privacy. But I still couldn't help wondering how they were doing."

She walked closer and sat down beside him.

"And after I made sure everything was alright…" Her voice softened. 

"I wanted to see you."

She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. Yuuji's arm naturally wrapped around her waist, drawing her closer.

"Thank you, Yuuji-kun." she whispered. 

"For everything. For saving me… and my family."

She looked up at him, violet eyes shimmering with unshed tears, reflecting both the moonlight and her emotions—gratitude, happiness, love, and a faint lingering sadness from memories long past.

"There's no need for thanks between us," Yuuji said quietly.

He lifted a hand to her cheek and leaned in, kissing her gently.

"I love you, Akeno. More than anything. There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for you."

The tears finally spilled over, sliding down her cheeks as her chest tightened with overwhelming emotion.

"I love you too…" she whispered, voice trembling. "So much. I'm yours. I love you, Yuuji…"

Yuuji carefully brushed away her tears with his thumb.

"Don't cry anymore," he said with a soft smile. "Or your eyes will be swollen tomorrow. Then your parents will think I did something to make you sad."

He kissed her eyelids gently, one after the other, and Akeno let out a quiet giggle.

"Fufu~ Then perhaps they'll tell you to take responsibility, and make me happy for the rest of my life~"

She teased softly.

Yuuji snorted lightly before kissing her lips again.

"I plan to do that even without being asked."

Their lips met once more, their kiss lingered, deepened. Unspoken yet overwhelming feelings filling them.

"Yuuji…" she whispered.

Just his name, yet it carried every single feeling that overflowed from her heart.

Yuuji understood. He lifted her into his arms and carried her inside, Akeno clinging to him as she pressed soft kisses along his neck.

And with an invisible force, the sliding doors closed quietly behind them.

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