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The lunch plan was disrupted by this small incident.
Inside the cafeteria, as Bokue's dual barrier of crowd dispersal and soundproofing opened, within ten meters only he himself plus Natsuki Minamiya, Astarte, and Aya remained.
The four sat around the dining table like this. Ornis's head sat on the table.
Because the latter was annoying, Bokue directly applied enhanced ten-mana mental control with magnetic field power.
Earlier in the teaching building, he'd failed to control the other party because Bokue had still thought "Sakazaki" was just an ordinary human. To avoid making him a vegetable, he'd deliberately reduced dosage.
But facts proved this Sakazaki-sensei wasn't ordinary human—could even be said not human at all. Naturally dosage needed increasing.
Though this worked out well. After tossing mental control, the whole person stopped being noisy. Mental state calmed down. Would definitely answer whenever asked.
"First question: what exactly are you?"
At the dining table, Bokue held Astarte who insisted on sitting in his lap, quietly looking at Ornis's head on the table.
"I'm called... Ornis. A member of the ancient divine race."
Ornis's tone carried no fluctuation, answering honestly.
"Divine race?" Bokue furrowed his brow slightly. "From the Biblical God faction?"
Though asking this, honestly Bokue didn't think so.
After all, before this, Rias had just told him she'd already negotiated on behalf of Underworld demons with Fallen Angels and Heaven's divine faction for three-way peace talks soon. From common sense, Heaven had absolutely no reason to cause him trouble at this time.
Plus, this appearance looked nothing like Biblical God's bunch.
Otherwise where was the head halo? Where were the light wings spreading?
No angel wings or angel halos yet claiming to be divine race?
As expected, the next second Ornis gave a negative answer.
"...No. We don't belong to the same branch as the Biblical faction."
"Then who are you?"
"I'm a member of the Ancient Ten Gods."
Ancient Ten Gods?
Bokue heard this concept for the first time. Plus, if he remembered correctly, earlier Ornis seemed to mention someone called "Lady Afureia."
"This Afureia you mentioned—also from your Ancient Ten Gods?"
"Yes."
Ornis continued answering.
"Lady Afureia is one of the Ancient Ten Gods."
"You said she cares a lot about me, right?"
Bokue gently rested his chin atop the blue-haired maid in his lap.
"But I have zero impression of this person. I don't know her at all."
"No, you do know her."
Ornis said.
Hmm?
This surprised Bokue somewhat. Currently Ornis was completely under his mental control—would only answer questions truthfully and state facts. Theoretically impossible for behavior like arguing to appear.
So he really did know her?
But thinking carefully, this seemed impossible. After all, if he truly knew her, Bokue couldn't possibly have zero impression of this name.
Unless... not this name?
After brief consideration, Bokue changed phrasing.
"This Afureia you mentioned—which person I know is she?"
"The Lady Afureia you're referring to, she's called..."
Ornis paused briefly here before speaking a name both unexpected yet reasonable to Bokue.
"Chisato Hasegawa."
"..."
How is it that perverted school nurse?
Bokue suddenly felt the urge to scratch his head.
Though he wasn't unable to accept one of his acquaintances suddenly turning out to be an Ancient Ten God or whatever. After all, someone like Sirzechs—being one of the Underworld's Four Great Demon Kings as Lucifer—could become his brother-in-law and good eldest son.
But... no matter what, couldn't Hasegawa-sensei possibly fit the "God" title, right?
Did Hasegawa-sensei also transform into an energy body like Ornis resembling an alien?
Imagining it briefly, Bokue's mouth twitched as he muttered to himself.
"But I'm not even close with Hasegawa-sensei?"
"That's just your one-sided unfamiliarity."
Ornis immediately responded.
"In barbaric times, humanity was slaughtered by various monsters and demons. To let humanity survive, we divine races gave power to you humans—just like Biblical God creating Sacred Gears for humanity."
"These people who received our divine power became so-called heroes, forming Hero Mountain Village."
"In other words, Hero Mountain Village to us divine races is like churches worldwide to Heaven governed by angels."
Ornis pivoted here.
"However, ten years ago you exploded with extremely powerful force during an incident at Hero Mountain Village. Force sufficient to kill gods. To ensure no mishaps occurred, most of the Ancient Ten Gods proposed eliminating this threat in the cradle."
"But only Lady Afureia was kindhearted. She overruled opposition, convincing most Ten Gods to retract this decision. Simultaneously she herself proposed willingly descending the mountain to contact you. After you grew sufficiently, she'd guide you up the mountain to become one of us."
"Oh?"
Bokue felt somewhat surprised.
He'd completely not expected such a connection between himself and Chisato Hasegawa.
But speaking of which, what did this have to do with him?! His power was trained by himself!
If truly discussing Hero bloodline's influence on him, maybe just slightly better physical constitution from childhood. Could be called negligible.
Even Bokue's Hero bloodline concentration was less than Kurumi's. At least Kurumi had genuinely awakened powerful elemental affinity from childhood due to Hero bloodline.
So basically claiming familial connections like this? With this pathetic performance getting casually head-stomped by him, still wanting him to become "one of them"... you worthy?
After internal complaints, Bokue waved his hand.
"Continue."
So Ornis continued at his word: "This was quite a risky move, though not entirely impossible. After all, heroes are humans blessed by us. From a power perspective, sharing common origins. Plus, if we could make you one of us, future faith competition with Biblical factions would have more advantage... but if you refused, Lady Afureia as one of the Ten Gods would personally eliminate you."
"...I see."
Bokue suddenly understood this guy's mental state, waving to remove mental control over Ornis.
Not complicated causality. Simply put—seeing his goddess caring so much about a human youth directly drove him mad with jealous rage.
"Damn it! Why do you receive Lady Afureia's such favor?!"
Mental control just removed, Ornis's mental state instantly became agitated again. Face twisted as he laughed maniacally.
"You're just a human who coincidentally awakened slightly powerful force, yet could actually receive Lady Afureia's such favor! I absolutely won't allow this! Though now it doesn't matter—your actions have already proven your threat to our divine race! This way, even Lady Afureia can't possibly continue standing on your side! Lady Afureia will definitely avenge me...!!!"
"Shut up."
Having learned enough, Bokue was too lazy to hear more nonsense.
So with a light finger snap, Ornis's head instantly shattered into pieces.
Truly insane. Even current Biblical God faction had to obediently conduct three-way peace talks with demons and Fallen Angels under his power. Yet some Ancient Ten Gods who couldn't even beat Biblical God faction planned to recruit him for schemes.
Ridiculous.
"Well, either way, let's eat first. I'll chat with School Nurse Hasegawa later."
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