After hearing Roxanne’s words, Issei nodded absentmindedly, still doubting how much her advice could help with Kiba's situation. But then Roxanne said something that made him sit up straight, suddenly taking her more seriously.

  “Issei, when someone is ed by reveheir mind often ’t tell friend from foe. They end up taking out their anger on the wrong things, and when they finally get their revehey lose their sense of purpose. But that’s what friends are for. Friends give silent support and stand by them, helping them find their way back. Even if what you do seems small, it might be the key that frees him from his hatred.”

  Issei listened carefully, surprised by how profound her words were. He houghtfully, but inside, a curious thought him. *Why does this advice sound like it’s ing from personal experience?*

  Before he could dwell on it further, Roxanne's demeanor shifted pletely. The serious, almost mencholic atmosphere that had surrounded her moments ago vanished, repced by her usual bright and bubbly self. With a wide smile, she added, “That’s what I saw in a movie!” She threw a thumbs up, looking pletely proud of herself.

  Issei nearly fell off his chair, stumbling at the sudden ge in tone. He stared at her, speechless. *How does someone switch moods so quickly?* he wondered, bewildered.

  But despite her casual dismissal, something inside Issei told him that her advice wasn’t just from a movie. There was truth in her words, and even if she tried to py it off, Issei felt like he had just glimpsed a side of Roxanne she didn’t often show. He decided to keep the advice close, knowing deep down that it was more valuable tha on.

  ~~~~~Time skip at end of the school ~~~~

  Issei walked toward the Occult Research Club (OR, his mind still repying Roxanne’s advice. He had decided that the first step to helping Kiba would be to ask Rias for permission to aid in his search for the missing holy swords. He k the door and heard Rias’ voice respond, “e in.”

  Entering, he saw Rias seated at her desk, s through paperwork with Akeno by her side. Koneko, as usual, was rexing on the sofa, eating sweets. Rias gnced up from her work and greeted him, “Issei, are you here for your devil duties? If so, you’ll have to wait a little. I’m finishing up some paperwork.”

  Issei shook his head. “No, Rias. I came to ask for permission to help Kiba search for the missing holy swords.”

  Rias paused, her expression one of surprise. “You do remember that we agreed not to interfere in that matter with the Church, right?”

  Issei nodded. “I know, but this isn’t about the Church mission. Kiba’s got so much hatred toward the holy swords, and I feel it too. I just want to help him, to make sure he doesn’t do something he’ll regret.”

  Rias sighed, clearly torn. “Issei, do you remember when I mentiohat Kiba has a history with holy swords?”

  Issei nodded again, promptio tinue.

  “Kiba was an orphan raised by the Church. During his time there, they ducted an experiment to create more holy sword wielders. It was called the ‘Holy Sword Project,’ and it involved t and experimenting on orphans like Kiba. The children who couldn’t survive the experiment were poisoned and killed to cover it up. Kiba only survived because the other children helped him escape, but he lost everything he held dear. When I found him, he was barely alive.”

  Rias’ tone softened with a deep sadness as she added, “To this day, Kiba seeks revenge on the holy swords that destroyed his life. That’s why this matter is delicate. We ’t intervene recklessly. If you do find him, tell him to e back.”

  Issei hough, in his heart, he had already made up his mind to help Kiba, even if it meant going against Rias’ orders. He just o figure out how.

  After leaving the ORC building, Issei was unaware of a hidden preseg from the shadows of the nearby trees. A fox, with eyes glowing with mischief, observed the exge. It stretched zily, a smirk f on its face. “Looks like my watch wasn’t wasted. Since Roxaends to keep this pervert in high regard, this little tidbit should earn me a nice reward from her.”

  And with that, the fox faded into the atmosphere, vanishing without a trace, leaving the se as though it had never been there.

  Roxa fortably in her room, focused on her video game. The clig sounds of the troller filled the air as she immersed herself in the virtual world. Then, a soft voiterrupted her tration:

  " Sweetie, you’ve been pying video games for hours. Maybe it’s time to take a break and clear your head."

  If anyone else had heard a voiing from their cross-shaped neckce, they might have panicked. But Roxanne, used to such things, casually responded, “Mom, I’m just waiting for Kurumi to report back with her findings. Besides, I’m not just wasting time—I'm making money pying this game.”

  The neck question wasn’t just any piece of jewelry. It housed the soul of the previous Angel of Death, Azrael—Roxanne's mother. After years of refining her trol over soul manipution, Roxanne had painstakingly healed Azrael’s damaged soul, reviving her within the Sacred Gear she now carried. It had taken two years of relentless effort, and though most of the hard work had been handled by her paniohe strain on Roxanne had been immense. But it was worth it, not only because she got her mother back, but also because the experience had expanded her uanding of souls ah to a near inprehensible level.

  She could now cim with fidehat her knowledge surpassed even the capabilities of the legendary Sacred Gear, Sephiroth Graal, which could supposedly bring back life itself. When Azrael had first awakened, she had been fused but overjoyed, g tears of happiness as she reunited with her daughter. The tent hours catg up, sharing stories about their lives. Roxanne had been especially surprised by Azrael’s description of Lucifer.

  Apparently, the Lord of Hell had been a surprisingly det family man. His arrogance, so notorious in the eyes of others, was a fa?ade—one he wore due to the stant praise and ego-stroking he’d endured in Heaven. He had trouble unig genuinely, often saying things that came off as desding or haughty when, iy, it was simply a defense meism. He only let down his guard when he was with his family, where he acted... well, normal.

  Azrael chuckled softly as she remielling Roxanne, “I found it endearing. No one really uood Lucifer’s true nature except for two people—me and Father.”

  Roxanne’s troller nearly slipped from her hand as she processed that st sentence. “Wait, wait—Father? You mean God khat Lucifer wasn’t actually trying to overthrow him?”

  Azrael fell silent for a moment, her tourning somber. “Yes. Father could see through souls, just like I . He knew Lucifer’s iions were o kill him or truly rebel against his will.”

  Roxanne frowned, her mind swirling with fusion. “Then... why did he banish him? Why did he cast out his own son if he knew Lucifer wasn’t really a threat?”

  Azrael hesitated again before finally responding, her words making Roxanne freeze.

  “Because sweetie... it wasn’t about power. It was about bance. Father’s decisions, however harsh, were always for maintaining order in the universe. Lucifer’s pride and his inability to properly express himself were dangerous, not because he was evil, but because they could cause chaos.”

  Roxanne’s eyes widened as she sat ba her chair, her mind rag. “So, in a way... he was banished because of a misuanding?”

  Azrael sighed. “It was more plicated than that. Father didn’t want to banish Lucifer, but he had no choice if he wao preserve the delicate bance of Heaven, Hell, and the mortal world.”

  Roxaared bnkly at the s in front of her, the game fotten. The revetion about her father, Lucifer, and the true reasons behind his fall left her speechless. The history she had known, the stories she’d been told, suddenly felt... inplete.

  Before she could dwell further on this heavy revetion, a familiar presence made itself known. Kurumi, her trusted familiar and the fox who had been spying on Issei earlier, appeared out of thin air, nding gracefully on the floor with a sly grin. “Roxanne, I’ve got some iing news about that perverted dragon boy of yours.”

  Roxanne blinked, still processing her mother’s words, but forced herself to focus. “Oh? What did you find out?”

  Kurumi sat dowly, her tail swishing behind her. “Let’s just say he’s got a little holy sword problem on his hands... and he might need your help soohahinks.”

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