The more I think about it, the more confused I am about how this even ca about.
But, honestly, I wasn't complaining.
"Alright, now pick anyone you want." I held out a stack of cards.
"Mm, this one." Kunou pulled one out of the deck.
"Alright, make sure you rember it." I shuffled the deck of cards. "Now, show your mother, but absolutely don't let see it."
"Mom." Kunou called out to Yasaka who was sitting nearby, watching with a small smile on her face.
"I see it, sweetie."
"Okay, now rember, don't tell what it is, okay?"
"Okay." She nodded.
"What card is it?"
"It's –"
"Don't tell ." I teased her with a little boop her on the forehead. "Now, put it back in the deck." I turned away. "Okay, you rember what is was, right?"
"Yes." She nodded.
After shuffling for a mont I held the deck up.
"Now!" I wiggled my fingers. "Abra Cadabra!" I exclaid pulled the card off the top. "Is this your card!?"
"...no." Kunou looked confused.
"Oops, my mistake." I shook my head, drawing another card. "It's this one!" I exclaid again, showing the next card.
"Nope."
"Hmm, this one?"
"No."
"What about this one?"
"Nu huh."
I started going through each and every card until there was only one left. "Okay, then this one must be your card." I pulled out the last card and waived it around.
"That's not it." Kunou pouted.
I scratched my head as all the cards from the deck were now in a ssy pile on the ground. "Huh, you know what? I think you mom might have your card." I looked over to her, and she just blinked in confusion then looked down at the table she was sitting at to see a card face down next to her.
Kunou ran over and picked it up for both her and Yasaka to see.
"This is it!" She shouted excitedly.
"How?" Yasaka looked at with eyes widened.
I cheated, but it's fine as long as Kunou is happy. And I got to get one over on Yasaka.
Ha! Curse , will you?
"A magician doesn't reveal their secrets." I took my hat off and bowed. Standing straight, I held my hat out and all the cards flew off the ground into my little storage space.
"Hmph, I'll get your secrets eventually~" Yasaka gave a look that promised she would get her way.
"Mom, don't ruin the magic!" Kunou pulled on her mom's sleeve.
"Yeah, don't ruin the magic." I held back a laugh.
"Oh, being ganged up on by both my daughter and her father, woe is ."
"Moom!" Kunou whined again. It seems like that still embarrasses her.
She's so cute, I can't even.
"Lady Yasaka." A Tengu dropped down from the sky, kneeling before the Youkai leader. He bowed his head and presented a letter.
She unfolded it, reading it intently as her expression turned into a scowl. "Wilhelm, would you please watch Kunou for a little bit? I have sothing that requires my undivided attention."
"No problem." I nodded. The amount of trust I managed to garner that she would willingly leave her daughter in my hands. Though I guess it was unlikely I would do anything form her perspective, having brought her daughter back in the first place.
"Be a good girl for your daddy." Yasaka gave a kiss on Kunou's forehead, much to the little girl's chagrin. "I'll be back in a little bit." She flashed a smile and disappeared away with the Tengu.
"Well, now that your mom is gone, I can show you my super secret magic trick." I winked at the little kitsune who looked a tiny bit hesitant with her mom no longer there.
"Super secret?"
I held my hat upside down. "You ready?" I smiled as I reached inside and pulled out Sir Wiggles.
Kunou practically squealed as she pounced on the rabbit. "He's so cute!"
Sir Wiggles took it in stride, allowing himself to be picked up by the unknown girl and his fur stroked.
"What's his na?"
"He is Sir Wigglesbottom fluffytail Octavius Benedict III, crown prince of the Erald Kingdom. Duke of Carrot Island."
[Oh god dammit.]
Hehe.
"Or, Sir Wiggles for short."
She squeed, pushing her face into his fur.
If only for this singular mont, making Sir Wiggles my familiar was worth it. It makes not want to leave after this....but I suppose having sothing to co back to is nice as well.
Seeing her play around with Sir Wiggles, it gave sothing I didn't know I needed before now.
Izzy, Kunou....I guess I have so important people bonding to this world, I can't very well abandon it now, even if I wanted to before.
My intent was just to take a passive approach, deal with threats to the world as they popped up the sort of curve my karmic debt here.....but that doesn't really seem like an option anymore. I don't want to allow anything to exist that could threaten them.
I couldn't help but sigh, even as a smile never faded from my face. This was supposed to be a vacation....but I seed to have found sothing amazing.
"Princess." A few Youkai walked out into the courtyard, calling out towards Kunou. "Your mother requests you."
Hmm, was it that ti already? I looked up at the sky and the Sun was already setting.
Ti really does fly....
"Shall I take you back to your mom?" I smiled down at Kunou who didn't look like she wanted to leave.
"That will not be necessary, you are dismissed, human." One of the guards stepped forward.
I paused, then just sighed again. I guess sothing happened and they don't want an outside here for the ti being?
"Well, this is goodbye." I pat Kunou on the head.
"No." She said quietly, hugging Sir Wiggles tighter.
"Hey, I'll be back, okay?" I kneeled down next to her.
"Promise?"
"Of course." I held out my pinkie. "Pinkie promise." She giggled slightly as we interlocked them.
She let Sir Wiggles jump out of her hands and into my hat again. The look she gave was frankly, heartbreaking.
Gods, how did I get attached to this girl so quickly? I just don't understand it.
"This way." One of the guards ushered , a little annoyance on his face.
Odd.
Well, whatever.
I stepped out of the courtyard, the guard following close behind . "Would you pass on my goodbyes to Lady Yasaka, I'm going away for a bit and won't have a chance to speak again for awhile."
He just snorted. "Get moving, human."
I paused, my instinct was flaring that sothing was wrong. I turned around and narrowed my eyes at him. "What exactly is your –"
"NOOOO! DADDY!" A loud scream echoed out across the compound
My head snapped to the direction of the voice. I didn't even look as the 'guard' escorting drew a weapon, aiming for my neck. It never reached as his head started rolling on the ground and Mirage flew next to .
What happened next was sort of a blur.
I Burst back to where I was before, Seeing a Youkai trying to rein in a struggling Kunou with several more standing around.
It only took a mont for her to be in my arms again, and about a dozen bodies falling to the ground.
An explosion erupted not too far away, the shockwave managing to ruffle my hair.
"She's over here!" A shout was heard as a few more people burst into the courtyard.
"Human!, Hand over – "
The others stared at shock as the one speaking fell to the ground, his head bouncing onto the grass, my sword floating next to with a small trail of blood down the edge of the blade.
"Daddy, where's mom!?" Kunou looked like she was about to have a panic attack.
This could not be healthy for a girl this young who had been through sothing traumatic not too long ago.
"I'll go get her, okay?" I pat her head.
"No, don't leave ." She cried.
"I'll put you sowhere safe." I whispered gently. "My grandfather can watch over you, and he has a very nice student who is like a sister to , she'll love to et you." I opened a portal and quickly ushered her in. She was in shock and I didn't want to make things worse.
Fuck.
[Did you just send her to another world?]
"Yeah." I said quietly, running a hand through my hair, staring at the few remaining Youkai who were watching my warily.
I griped my hand, using Telekinesis to yank one off the building ledge he was standing on, bring him down to the ground with a thump.
I quickly stomped on his back as my swords flashed out and made quick work of his friends. "You have 10 seconds, speak."
He coughed out so blood. "Disgusting human, your ti will co."
I sneered, holding out my hand for Mirage to fly back into my grip then slamming the blade down onto his neck.
I turned around as another portal opened up, a very familiar application of the Kaleidoscope. "Artoria?" I blurted out as she walked from the portal.
"Will." She nodded.
"What are you doing here, did gramps send you?"
"You dropped a crying child into the kitchen, do you think we wouldn't be worried?" She raised an eyebrow. "It isn't too hard to make the leap to assu that whatever is happening, was enough that you couldn't guarantee her safety."
"It's not as bad as it looks...I may have panicked and reacted on instinct to one of the only places I could think of that was safe." I admitted. "Is she...?"
Artoria gave a small smile. "Zelretch was quick to calm her down, and Rin is good at distracting her."
"I see." I ran a hand over my face. "Good, that's good."
"Will, what's going on?"
"Soone attacked....uh probably so remnants who are pissed off? I don't know everything, but I think Yasaka may be in danger....or she is the danger, I don't exactly know what's going on. Soone tried to grab Kunou again and....." I paused for a mont thinking everything through rationally. "She was betrayed, no doubt soone close to her was able to pull so strings so she was separated from her daughter." I muttered
Why?
Why go after Kunou, again. I an....it was the easiest target if you wanted to get to Yasaka, but what's so important that you needed that kind of leverage?
"Will, focus."
I snapped out of my thoughts. "Right, right." I clenched my fists. "Well, you're already here.....and it isn't quite what I had in mind for a date, but would you like to take care of so would-be kidnappers with ?"
She steeled her expression, a look on her face that promised pain for whoever was behind this. "I would be delighted."
Soone was going to fucking pay for making my daughter cry.
***
Wrapping up the DxD arc for now, clearing up so loose ends (Read: Hero faction). So, Artoria and MC going to have words with the Hero faction.....taking all bets?
Anyways, I you didn't see last chapter, got a discord up, co chat, ask questions, whatever -- sdiscord.gg/TRDZTRKfVf
If you want to support or read 5 chapters ahead, visit my /Astoryforone
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