Life.2 Scarlet and Crimson
—Who am I?
When I, Hijima Akeno, was young, I kept on asking myself that question.
I, who had lost my mother by the hands of those who detest the Fallen Angels, disagreed with my father Barakiel, and continued to have a lifestyle where I travelled to different places.
By myself when I was ten years old. It’s an age which was practically impossible for one to live on one’s own.
I even rember how my younger self believed strongly that I still have to keep on living on my own. I definitely can’t rely on my father. If I do......I feel like my heart will break from the sorrow of losing my mother and being scared at the hatred others had towards my father.
What I had in my hand was my pocket money with only a bit of savings in it. ......I was thinking of buying a present for my mother for her birthday using that money.
I did my best to not use that money, but I couldn’t overco my empty stomach that had reached its limit, and I ended up using it while I kept on apologising to my mother inside myself. The mory of that ti is still buried strongly in .
There is a limit to money. It’s not infinite. I didn’t have my father and my mother. I needed to sohow make so money despite being a child.
However, there was no way that there were places that would hire a child that was rely ten years old.
......My rit is the ability to control lightning that was passed down from my father and the power to purify spirits that I learned from my mother.
It happened on a certain day. I helped a child that was possessed by an evil spirit by chance. Then the child’s parents gave a small quantity of snacks.
I thought that this was it. That this was the only thing I was able to do—.
From then on, I started to talk to the people that were possessed by evil spirits, purified them, and had a lifestyle where I received a bit of money and food from them.
I couldn’t have a luxurious life. I didn’t have any place to live. However, I was able to survive.
—Akeno, I will teach you how to drive away scary ghosts.
......What my mother taught helped to survive. It was lonely to sleep by myself......however I didn’t want to die yet.
After that, I travelled around Japan, I started to learn how to communicate with abnormal beings, and was able to take my distance from humans.
If I had to be grouped, then I would be grouped in the abnormal beings. Even though I have an appearance of a human, I carry the blood of a Fallen Angel. So it isn’t wrong for to be classified as a non-human being.
I had realised that myself despite being only ten years old. It was easier not to be hurt when I interact with others while telling myself that.
There were those that wanted to take in from the people who I had saved from the evil spirits. If there were people who actually an it, there were also people who had other intentions. I was even able to realise that.
I even found myself being chased. I was also targeted many tis, like the ti I stepped foot on the territory under the jurisdiction of the Church that detests Fallen Angels, and also by trainee monks who saw as a hindrance to their job.
A year and a half had passed since I had a lifestyle like that—.
Around the ti I had started to beco familiar with travelling around the country purifying evil spirits, I had beco friends with small Oni, and was able to control them.
It happened when I sneaked into this certain town located in the T-prefecture. I had contact with a human that was capable of talking to spirits for a temporary ti due to making a pact with a Devil. That person accidentally spoke to an evil spirit, got possessed by it, and almost got killed by it. I ended up saving that person.
I should have ignored that person, but I didn’t have any choice since that person muttered out, “Save ”. By the ti I realised it, I had saved that person from the evil spirit.
It was only afterwards that I would co to know that human was soone that had been making a pact with the servant Devil of the current Head of the House of Gremory. But at that ti, I realised it was my mistake for stepping foot into the Devil’s territory.
The fact about the Devils fighting against the Fallen Angels was knowledge that I attained during my journey. I am a being that carries the blood of a Fallen Angel. If I step my foot into their territory, it wouldn’t be weird for to beco their target.
There was a high possibility that the Devils knew that I got into contact with one of the humans they have a pact with.
......There are many Devils that have strong pride. If they co to find out about a re Fallen Angel girl getting in contact with their client...... They will co to eliminate to get rid of their disgrace.
I hid myself in the abandoned temple within that city, and decided to observe silently for a while. It was best to not get involved if you get wrapped into such cases.
For a child like it was impossible to fight a grown up Devil.
It happened several days after I hid myself in the temple.
I sensed a presence that was coming closer to . I tried to look outside timidly from the broken door. And what appeared in front of my eyes was—a crimson.
A beautiful crimson hair. A girl who looked like she was the sa age as . That girl who has an aura of soone who isn’t a human like myself, was looking around the surroundings.
I hid my presence, and hid myself behind the tree after exiting the temple without making a sound.
Staying inside the temple won’t be a good idea. A location that is known is the sa as an easy target for them, and there won’t be anything left of if I were attacked first.
The crimson haired girl says it with a loud voice.
“If you are here, then please co out. If you are willing to talk seriously about the reason for you to enter the territory of soone close to , then I won’t do anything like blaming you for it.”
......I can’t trust what a Devil would say. Like I expected, it seems like they found out about who purified the evil spirit.
She’s a Devil despite having a cute face like that. And from what I can understand by searching through her aura, I can see that she is a child from a high quality Devil. ......I probably won’t be able to stay alive if I go against her.
Even after that, she starts to talk in a persuasive manner, however I did not show myself in front of her. I simply have to turn my presence off and wait for her to leave. However, since she has found out about this place, then it will be good for to leave here right away. I will need a new place where I can hide myself.
When I was thinking about the dangerous situation I am in, the crimson haired girl sighs, probably because I didn’t show myself.
She then says this.
“......The truth is, there are mountaineering ascetics that are looking for you. Those humans ca to negotiate with us. They said, “Can you leave the Fallen Angel girl to us?”—.”
—!
Hearing that, my body shivers. It’s most likely them.
The group of mountaineering ascetic that started appearing in places where I visited since a year ago. They aren’t after because I’m a hindrance to their job—.
The crimson haired girl then says this.
“......Before those people appear in front of you, co to my side. I won’t treat you badly. As long as you explain the situation to , I will give you the most support I can.”
Her words were so gentle.....that it sounded like my deceased mother.
Yes, that girl was Rias—.
Part 2
—I had a dream. A carefree life from back then I dearly miss.
“Hey, Kaa-sama. Will Akeno also make a friend?”
“Yes, you definitely will. Akeno, what do you want to do with your friend when you make one?”
“Umm......Akeno wants to go to see different places, go to the sa school, and join the sa “club” as her.”
“......Do you want to go to school, Akeno?”
“It’s okay. Akeno will be alright as long as Akeno has Kaa-sama and Tou-sama.”
“......I hope that you make a kind friend.”
“Yup! And Akeno wants a husband who will be strong and kind like Tou-sama!”
“Ufufu, if your father hears that, then he will be troubled.”
“Why?”
“That’s because, your father—.”
“......Kaa-sama.”
When I open my eyes, I realise that there are tears in my eyes.
After packing my bag quickly, I left the abandoned temple that I was using as the place to sleep.
It’s exactly about ti for the sunrise. While the morning mist is still up, I sprint through the forest that is next to the highway.
The reason why I didn’t make my move during late at night is because the ti during then is the active ti for Devils. If it’s this ti during the sunrise, then I will be able to leave this town safely—.
If it’s now, I can understand I had a naïve way of thinking due to being a child back then.
When I was about to exit the forest—.
Sothing covers from the side while grasping hold of .
I then had a feeling that the aura coming from my whole body is disappearing right away. –When I looked, there is a net around my body.
......It’s not a re net. The more I struggle, the more it feels like it will drain that much of strength from . It must be a net with a special spell on it.
RING RING ......Then a unique sound of a staff echoes throughout the forest creepily.
“—I have found you.”
There was a single low-voice of a man.
“—The cursed daughter born from our Hijima bloodline.”
From behind the trees,
“—The child that carries the blood of that black Angel.”
—Several mountaineering ascetics sedge-woven hat who are carrying a staff appears.
“—It has been a while, Akeno.”
A voice with dignity says that to . I’m familiar with this voice.
The mountaineering ascetics make a path and the one who appears in front of is man who has passed his middle age. He takes his sedge-woven hat off, and looks at who is captured by the net. His eyes are filled with sadness.
“......Granduncle.”
Yes, this old man is soone from the Hijima. To , he is my granduncle from my mother’s side.
Hijima are a clan that has been affiliated with Shinto since ancient tis. My mother’s family is also entrusted with a Shinto shrine with history behind it. The other mountaineering ascetics must be the relatives of Hijima.
Granduncle says it to while bending down.
“I won’t let you escape now. I must get rid of Hijima’s sha today. You understand , right?”
—A sha.
For them, it’s said that the daughter from Hijima was taken and used by a Fallen Angel, and I......am known as a cursed child that was born from them. For that reason I am a sha to them.
Hijima is a Shinto clan with historical background. For that reason, breeding with another kind is an unforgivable act.
If it gets found out by the Japanese God they serve, they won’t know what kind of penalty they will receive.
......The oath and cleanness towards the rules of Hijima are absolute, and as a result, my mother died—.
I, who have lost my mother and have rejected my father, wandered throughout the country, and ended up being targeted by those from Hijima. A child that will taint the na of Hijima must be a being they can’t allow to exist.
“......I simply want to live.”
I said that while actually aning that. There isn’t any falsehood behind that.
I......am an outcast who couldn’t go after my mother and couldn’t follow my father. However, it feels like I will be rejecting all the experience I had in that house if I were to die, and I simply hated the idea of that happening.
Granduncle breathes out in grief, and shook his head to the side.
“Do you really think a human with black wings will be able to experience the life of a normal person? In the past one year and six months, you should have realised it when you travelled to different areas. ......You are a smart child after all. For a monster to attain the living style of a human, did you not co to realise that it isn’t sothing you can achieve with an ordinary strength?”
......Yes, I have witnessed it. While I was travelling throughout the country, I ca to understand that in order for soone who has an extraordinary power, you would need a strong determination and strength to live like a normal person.
I still don’t have a strong determination and strength. For that reason I beca scared many tis. I started to think that there isn’t any place for in this world—.
—No, I am here!
I am living here! I still.....can’t die! I don’t want to die!
I make lightning within my hand and released it towards the Hijima mountaineering ascetics!
While making a bright flash, my lightning strikes between them. Possibly due to the power of my lighting being stronger than they imagined, it seems like I got them while they let their guard down, and they didn’t know where to aim their staff at.
“Ha(Destroy)!”
Granduncle makes a loud voice. It seems like a strong spiritual power was released at the sa ti, and it disperses my lightning.
......It looks like my lightning won’t work on granduncle. Even though it ended like this, I did increase the power since the last ti I fought him......
The mountain ascetics fix their stance, and increase their hatred toward .
“Damn! The power of her “Light and Thunder” is getting more powerful as days pass!”
“If we don’t take her down quickly, we will be the ones getting killed eventually!”
The mountain ascetics direct their staff at —.
“Oni!”
“Oni-ni!”
The small Onis stands in front of to protect from the mountain ascetics.
No! All of you will be wiped out!
“Don’t!”
I desperately move my body despite being wrapped in the net, and use my whole body to protect the Onis.
“......So you will protect the Onis huh. Looks like you have also inherited the blood from that girl Shuuri.”
Granduncle points his staff at cold heartedly, who is protecting the Onis. A powerful power gathers at the tip of his staff.
I will most likely die if I get hit by it.
“I’m sorry, but this is the end for you. It seems like the black Angels aren’t interfering. The least I can do is to send you off without any pain.”
......I hate n. I really hate adults. They were only worried about how they will appear to others, and didn’t forgive my mother at the end......! They also see as a disgusting creature.
I hide my hatred towards them and tell my Granduncle my last wish.
“......Please spare these small Onis.”
“......Sure, very well.”
“One more. ......Please put my grave next to Kaa-sama’s......I beg you.”
“I cannot allow that. You are an existence that was not supposed to exist. I will only promise you the matter regarding the small Onis.”
......I didn’t have that much expectation for him to approve the latter wish. However, it was a faint hope I held that it was possible.
However, as long as the small Onis will be safe then it’s all right.
“......Oni.”
The small Onis are shedding tears because they are worried about .
It’s all right. Thank you for serving until now.
It’s okay. Live on behalf of .
All of you shouldn’t hold a grudge against them.
It seems like the small Onis understood what I want to tell them without saying it to them.
Granduncle’s staff gathered even more powerful spiritual power, and it happens when he was about to unleash it towards . When I close my eyes, I hear a voice.
“—Hold on.”
The light gathered around the staff disappears due to that voice.
The mountain ascetics and my eyes move towards the depth of the forest.
The one who appears from there is a crimson haired girl, —Rias Gremory. Next to her is a middle aged man wearing butler’s clothing who has a refined look.
Rias then says.
“There are so personal questions I want to ask that girl.”
Since the mountain ascetics know that the identity of this girl is a Devil, they point their staff at Rias.
Granduncle says it to Rias without getting that shocked.
“The Gremory’s daughter. I’m sure I had talked to you regarding this......”
Rias continues on while putting on a fearless smile.
“Yes, you sure did. I do think this problem is the matter of your clan. However, tell one thing. What will you do with this girl? Are you planning to kill her?”
“......And what will you do if that’s what we are planning to do?”
She then says this to what my granduncle said.
“If you are planning to kill her, then I will be taking her.”
The mountain ascetics starts to stir up at her words.
“Who the hell do you think you are?”
“Damn Devil!”
“This is the problem of our Hijima clan!”
They start to say abusive words to her. Granduncle then calms them down.
“Calm down, all of you. ......Gremory’s daughter, are you planning to interfere in our problem?”
The two sides then glare at each other, and the man who was next to Rias gets in-between them and tells my granduncle while smiling.
“Now now, please calm down. I am the [Bishop] of the current Head of the House of Gremory, and the one that is in charge of this area, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. Please call Agrippa.”
Yes, I entered the territory of this person called Agrippa who happens to be a servant of the current Head of the House of Gremory.
The man with noble atmosphere who called himself Agrippa points towards the depth of the forest and says it.
“How about we have a little chat over there? Don’t you think having the children listen to the circumstance of us adults will only make them learn unnecessary abusive words?”
Since he is able to say this in front of Rias who is the daughter of his Master, it proves how much faith she has in him.
“............Very well.”
My granduncle and others, the mountain ascetics, disappear into the depth of the forest. Rias removes the net around my body right away.
“You will be fine now.”
She shows a smile to like a girl of her age. Rias then says it after staring at my black hair.
“You sure have beautiful black hair. I love the black hair of the Japanese people.”
—!
Why is it? Her words are making feel happier.
Is it perhaps because she is calling “Japanese”? Or is it because she praised my black hair?
No, maybe because I’m feeling as though I was rescued by her attitude that is speaking to while accepting who I am.
After a while, the mountain ascetics and Sir Agrippa return.
Granduncle says this to who got untied.
“......Promise two things. I will swear to you that we won’t lay our hands on you if you keep those promises. First, you must not step foot into the territory that is under our surveillance. Second, to stay besides that girl with crimson-hair every ti you do sothing. As long as you keep these two promises, we will swear to you that we won’t lay our hands on you ever again.”
—!
Granduncle said sothing that makes believe this isn’t real. It was certainly sothing that I didn’t predict.
The mountain ascetics leave silently from who has my mouth opening wider by the seconds. I can’t help it, so I ask him one question.
“............May I introduce myself as “Hijima” from now on?”
Granduncle says it without turning back.
“......There are many others that carry that surna. Do as you like.”
Saying just that, granduncle and the others leave from this place.
The only ones left are Rias, Sir Agrippa, and I. Then Sir Agrippa says it to Rias.
“Now then, princess. I will leave the rest to you.”
He says it cheerfully.
This is sothing I found out afterwards, which is that Sir Agrippa suggested an idea to my granduncle that the House of Gremory will carry on the existence of and my past history.
Then if I do sothing from now on, they will make it that “The one who serves the House of Gremory did that”. It seems like there were other suggestions from their side, but I heard that Sir Agrippa accepted all of their suggestions.
As a result, I did not get myself targeted by them ever again.
“Was it okay, Agrippa? Didn’t you need to do sothing due to the issue about our territory?”
Rias tries to confirm with him. Yes, I purified the human who has a pact with this person on my own. However, Sir Agrippa smiles gently.
“I do not have a hobby to pass a judgent on a small lady after all. However, it was fortunate. I will be leaving from this area next month and it was planned for to work in a different country. If the Devil from a different household that will be taking this territory were to et with this lady......that Devil wouldn’t have been rciful.”
Yes, I was fortunate. If I ca here a month late—I probably wouldn’t be alive.
Devils......I thought they were a scary existence. However, these people I t who are from the House of Gremory—are Devils that are kind and strict.
Sir Agrippa pats my head.
“I’m very sorry for the fact that we, the Gremory, took everything from you which includes your birth. You probably had your reasons and you even had the history of your life till now. However, this was the only way to save you.”
I shake my head to the side, and put on a smile that I couldn’t show for a long ti.
“No, I’m grateful that I was able to be safe like this.”
At that ti, I said that while actually aning it.
Even if the Hijima-clan were to forget , just my existence will be the biggest proof that my mother, Hijima Shuuri, existed.
This is sothing I found out afterwards by so connections, but when I was being chased by the ones from Hijima, the one who saved when I was in danger......was Azazel who was secretly hiding himself.
The thing that granduncle said that ti, “It seems like the black Angels aren’t interfering” must an him.
It must be an action he took on behalf of my father who wasn’t able to show himself in front of . That person watched over simply because I’m the daughter of his war buddy—.
Maybe he can’t forgive himself by thinking that he was the one that killed the wife of his war buddy.
Except, he doesn’t say anything.
No matter what ti, he simply shows a smile of a naughty child to —.
Part 3
What I witnessed when I stepped foot into the Underworld by having Rias take was—a gorgeous and luxurious castle.
The one I t right away was Venerana-sama who happens to be Rias’s mother.
“How do you do? You must be the Fallen Angel lady that Rias ntioned. It’s nice to et you, I am Rias’s mother, Venerana. It’s okay for you to think of this house as your own.”
Just like she said, I was welcod into the Gremory’s castle with a special treatnt.
She even taught the way a lady should act, different kinds of knowledge, and even studies.
I went into a brilliant world that makes think that the life I had until now wasn’t real.
About six months had passed since I started living in the Underworld, it happened when I was reading the book about monsters together with Rias in her room. I asked her.
“Hey, why are you doing this much for ?”
“Why are you asking now? We may have t by a chance, but we are family now, you know?”
I felt as though I was really saved by Rias who said that.
Rias says it while she takes the chess piece on the chessboard into her hand.
“That’s right, I will be receiving the [Evil Pieces] soon. That’s why there is a part of that is thinking of gathering my servants.”
“......So you are asking to beco your servant because I carry the blood of a Fallen Angel?”
“You saved a person that was possessed by an evil spirit in that town right? Why did you do that?”
“......That person was asking for help so I couldn’t resist.”
She makes a big nod with her head and then smiles.
“Yes, that! “A kind Fallen-Angel”! It sure did make want to turn you into my servant!”
......I’m astonished. The truth is I thought of her as a weird Devil girl.
That’s because she wants a “kind Fallen-Angel”.
“Ufufu.”
When I started laughing with amusent, Rias makes a strange look while tilting her head.
“D-Did I say sothing weird?”
“Yup, I’m sure you are quite weird.”
“A-Am I......? But I thought you were a kind girl, that’s why I wanted to rescue you back then.”
“—! ......Rias, thank you. I was really happy back then.”
I was so indebted to Rias that I can’t thank her enough—.
After that, I started to gain knowledge about the Underworld, the Devils, and the Fallen-Angels, while living in the Gremory castle.
I usually stayed beside Rias, and had a lifestyle where I go between the human world and the Underworld with her. Rias took to many places. There were many places in this world I didn’t know about.
“Look, Akeno! That’s the Niagara falls! But the great falls we saw in the Underworld before was even more amazing!”
Rias showed all sorts of her expressions. Like when she was angry, when she smiled, and when she cried after being lectured by her mother. I always stood by her side and at tis I cheered her up, at tis I laughed together with her, and at tis I argued with her.
Without realising it, she beca soone who is irreplaceable.
Sirzechs-sama, Grayfia-sama, and their servants even treated well. It was around then when I t Sona.
And around the ti when Rias entered junior high, she received her evil pieces from her father.
“Akeno, will you beco my [Queen]? ......Will you beco a Devil and support by staying next to ?”
I gave my answer, yes, to Rias who asked with anxiety. There was no reason for to refuse by this ti.
After that, Rias took in Koneko-chan who was moping due to the troubles her actual sister, Kuroka, caused and then made Yuuto-kun into her servant.
Around the ti when we moved up to the high school division of Kuou academy, Rias said this to .
“Akeno. I’m thinking of joining a club when I enter the high school division of this Kuou academy.”
“What will you be joining? Sports club? Cultural club?”
She opens the pamphlet for the entrance to the high school division of Kuou academy happily.
“Now, what should I do? Sports club does sound wonderful and so does the cultural club, so it sure does make it hard for to choose. Ufufu, I can imagine Sona becoming the student president of the student council.”
It seems like she is really happy that she will be entering the high school division of Kuou academy. She then takes an interest in the book I’m carrying.
“Akeno, what is that book?”
“This is a human’s book written about monsters and mysterious phenonon. It’s a book with occult taste in it.”
She then says it after hearing my answer while looking through the books.
“Occult...... Then, let’s join the Occult Research Club!”
“Occult Research Club? B-But I’m sure that I saw on the docunts that the club got abolished because there weren’t enough mbers......”
Rias then says it boldly and fearlessly at my words.
“I will revive it! Yup! I’ve decided! I will join the Occult Research Club! Akeno will be the vice-president! The mbers will be......Yuuto and Koneko, and then I shall form the club with my servants I still haven’t t with yet!”
She then tells her big aim.
“Ufufu. Sure. Why not. I will be the vice-president. Let’s graduate from high school together.”
“Oh, I’m planning to go to University as well, you know?”
“Then, I will be tagging along with you until then.”
When I said that, she suddenly says no.
“No!”
Rias takes my hand, and says this to face to face.
“Akeno will be my [Queen] and my friend for the rest of my life.”
Yes, I understand. I am your [Queen]. So I will be staying by your side all the ti.
I will be your friend forever. So let say this.
——Thank you, Rias. Please take care of from now on as well.
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