The train flew through the dimensional zone toward the underworld.
"Look how cool this train is, it's amazing." Issei kept his face pressed against the window, not even trying to hide his excitement.
Saji stood beside him, following the movement with the same interest.
"You're right." He crossed his arms. "I never thought I'd see something like this up close."
The two kept looking outside, absorbing the scenery as the train moved forward, their attention completely fixed on what lay beyond the glass.
---
In another carriage, Akeno was beside Gasper.
"Why did they come with us?" Gasper kept his tone direct, not looking away.
Akeno let out a soft laugh, not needing to think before answering.
"Since Sona is also going to the underworld, she asked Rias to let them come." She tilted her head slightly. "The Sitri territory is on the way."
Gasper let out a light sigh, not hiding his lack of interest.
"Whatever." He kept his gaze forward. "But if that pervert looks at your chest again… I'll rip his eyes out."
Akeno reacted immediately, her smile becoming clearer.
"How scary." She leaned her face slightly closer. "You're quite possessive today."
Gasper didn't back down.
"I just don't have patience for that kind of thing."
Akeno didn't look away, clearly satisfied with the answer.
"After what you did earlier…" She lightly crossed her arms. "Do you really think he'll try again?"
Gasper didn't respond immediately.
The pause was brief.
"If he tries." He spoke in the same tone. "It'll be worse."
Akeno let out a light laugh, not hiding her interest in his reaction.
"Then I think he better learn quickly."
Gasper didn't respond right away, his gaze still forward as the analysis came automatically.
'Learn quickly… Issei?' The thought came dry. 'That doesn't exist.'
The memory of his own past experience was enough to reach a conclusion without effort.
'A pervert doesn't learn… he just adapts when forced.'
He exhaled slowly before answering, without changing his tone.
"He won't learn." Gasper kept his gaze fixed. "He'll just avoid it when he realizes it hurts."
Akeno tilted her head slightly, her smile returning with more interest.
"So you intend to teach him?" She leaned a bit closer. "Or just punish him?"
Gasper raised his hand without hesitation and grabbed her face, his fingers firm enough to stop her movement without hurting her, forcing Akeno to keep her gaze locked directly on his. The change was immediate, and her provocation didn't retreat, it only intensified.
"You seem to like that word." He kept his tone low. "Punishment."
Akeno didn't look away.
On the contrary.
Her breathing changed.
"Maybe I should do it again." Gasper kept control, not letting go. "Like I did in the bath."
The reaction came instantly.
Akeno's face turned red, her body reacting before she could even try to maintain her composure, but her smile didn't disappear, it only softened, more yielding.
"So you remember…" She exhaled slowly, not trying to escape. "I thought it was just impulse."
The sound of the door opening cut the moment before it could go further.
Koneko entered first.
"Pervert."
Asia came right behind, freezing the moment she noticed how close the two were.
"G-Gasper-kun…"
Gasper released Akeno's face at that exact moment, without hurry, as his gaze shifted to the two, already anticipating exactly the kind of situation that was happening.
'Damn selective super hearing…'
Akeno tilted her head slightly, without any embarrassment.
"Ara ara…"
She didn't move away.
"Look at that." Akeno kept smiling. "What are the two little girls doing interrupting my moment with my boyfriend?"
Asia froze completely, her face turning even redder as she tried to respond.
"I… I didn't mean to… I just…"
Gasper let out a light sigh, interrupting before she got more tangled up.
"Relax, Asia." He kept his tone simple. "No one's upset."
"Are you telling the truth, Gasper-kun?" Asia lightly clenched her hands, her gaze uncertain before lifting again.
"Yes, Asia." Gasper replied without changing tone. "Now why did you two come here?"
Koneko answered before she could.
"Asia wanted to stay close to you." She kept her gaze neutral. "She got nervous with the questions from Sona's peerage."
Asia lowered her face instantly, clearly exposed by the direct answer, trying to compose herself without knowing how to continue.
Akeno reacted immediately.
"So that was it?" She tilted her head slightly, her smile returning. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Akeno took a small step to the side, making space without losing her closeness to Gasper.
"You can stay here with us."
Asia lifted her gaze instantly, surprised before her reaction fully formed, relief replacing her embarrassment.
"Really…?" She stepped a little closer, still unsure.
"Of course." Akeno kept her tone light. "I don't see any problem with that."
Asia visibly relaxed, her body releasing tension as she moved closer, staying beside them without as much hesitation as before.
Akeno watched for a second before continuing, without losing her smile.
"Especially since you don't seem to mind watching."
The pause was minimal.
But enough.
"Watching me and Gasper."
Asia froze.
Her face turned completely red instantly, her reaction too automatic to hide as she tried to process what she had just heard.
"I w-wouldn't— I wouldn't do that—"
"Pervert." Koneko cut in the same neutral tone, looking directly at Akeno.
Akeno let out a low laugh, not even trying to deny it.
"I'm just being honest."
Gasper let out a faint laugh, quiet enough not to break the rhythm, but clear enough to show he was enjoying the situation.
The tension didn't return.
But the atmosphere changed.
---
In another carriage, Rias sat across from Sona, maintaining a firm posture as her gaze didn't waver for even a second.
"You know he hurt Issei." Sona spoke directly. "As a leader, you should punish that."
Rias didn't react immediately, just held her gaze before answering in the same tone.
"I'm not doing that." She crossed her legs. "Gasper didn't do anything I consider wrong."
Sona adjusted her glasses with a short movement, not hiding her disagreement.
"Issei is my servant." She kept her voice controlled. "If someone is to punish him, it's me. Not a member of another peerage."
Rias tilted her head slightly, without backing down.
"Then maybe you should've done it earlier." She replied without changing tone. "He was looking where he shouldn't."
The pause was brief.
But enough.
"He didn't do anything too serious." Rias continued. "He just set a boundary."
Sona narrowed her eyes slightly, analyzing the answer more carefully than before.
"And you're defending that." She observed. "Too easily."
Rias didn't deny it.
"He's going to be officially recognized as a high-class Devil tomorrow." She kept her gaze firm. "And it wasn't by chance."
Sona remained silent for a second, reorganizing her understanding before speaking again.
"So it's not just about what happened." She concluded.
Rias didn't answer right away.
But she didn't look away.
Sona observed for another moment.
And then spoke.
"You're in love?"
Rias froze for a second.
Her face turned red before she could even try to control her reaction, and this time she didn't try to hide it.
"Yes." She answered without looking away. "Yes, yes, yes."
The answer came direct.
Without retreat.
Sona didn't speak immediately, absorbing the response without interrupting, as her understanding fully adjusted.
"I see…" She exhaled slowly. "That explains a lot."
Rias relaxed her posture slightly, without losing control, but no longer as rigid as before.
"It doesn't change what he did." She kept her tone lower. "It just changes how I see it."
Sona nodded lightly, accepting the answer without insisting further.
"Then I'll forget about it." She finally said. "The matter with Issei ends here."
Rias didn't respond with words.
But her gaze confirmed it.
The tension left.
Sona rested her face lightly on her hand, watching Rias with a different kind of interest now.
"And since when did this start?" She asked, without pressure.
Rias looked away for a second before looking back.
"It wasn't all at once." She answered. "But it became clear fast."
Sona didn't interrupt.
"He changed the rhythm of everything." Rias continued. "And I didn't want to stop it."
Sona let out a soft sigh, but this time it wasn't disagreement.
It was acceptance.
"So you really chose this."
Rias nodded.
Without hesitation.
And this time, without any doubt.
Support here: patreon.com/22Mirko22
Thank you so much for reading - see you in the next chapter!