[158] Too Many Guests

[158] Too Many Guests

Chapter 158: Too Many Guests

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As the morning sun peeked through the curtains, it spilled light across a living room transformed into a slumber party wreckage site.

“Mhm...” Pillows and blankets lay scattered like the aftermath of a pillow fight. Last night’s bash had turned the usually tidy Hoshino residence into an impromptu dorm, buzzing with the tranquil hum of deep, restorative sleep.

Ruby and her squad, Kana, Mem, and Shoko, were all sprawled out across the living room. Yuzuru too. They crashed wherever they found space, and changed from their party clothes from the previous night. Điscover new chapters at novelhall.com

The air was thick, carrying a mix of stale perfume and hot chocolate.

It's not as if the house lacked rooms, mind you, the girls scattered on the floor could have chosen them if they wished, but they found it more fun to sleep together like this after a party celebration due to their massive success. The entire country was talking about them, they couldn't care less about a bed.

They weren't the only ones here. Tsubasa was there too; she was the one who managed a lot of stuff besides her parents last night, so she was quite tired as well. My two girlfriends were also present. Akane and Mai Senpai, who had been in the thick of the cheering crowd just hours earlier, had decided to stay over.

I couldn't hate the atmosphere when I woke up after a short nap, so many energetic people passed out from exhaustion was lovely.

“Huh...” Rubbing my eyes, the place felt like a dream in its cozy chaos. I slipped out to freshen up, leaving the girls to their dreams. Mom was already up, walking into the kitchen to cook breakfast.

With two of us up, others began to follow. The quiet of the morning soon gave way to the sounds of life.

“Aywn...” I was near the sleeping girls, cooking in the kitchen with my mother, when Ruby woke up with a rustle of blankets, her eyes fluttering open as she stretched a little, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

I looked at her, as the morning light cast a soft glow on her face, highlighting her flushed cheeks from last night. She looked cute. “Mhm... good morning...” She sat up, rubbing her eyes, and looked around at her friends who were gradually coming to life.

Tsubasa was the next to wake up, coming over to kiss me on the cheek when nobody else was looking, and Ai had her back facing us. Then she went to freshen herself.

Yuzuru and Kana were the next to wake, the latter’s hair tousled and eyes blinking sleepily as she yawned widely.

“Hey girls,” I waved.

“Hello...”

The sound of people talking made the others wake up too. My Mem-Cho, usually the most energetic of the group, groaned as she pulled a pillow over her head, mumbling, “Five more minutes, Mom...”

I shook my head, she needed more stamina training.

The group’s quiet one, Shoko, simply sat up, folded her blanket neatly, and adjusted her hair before offering a soft smile to everyone, "Good morning". When her eyes landed on me, her smile only widened.

Ai noticed that as she tasted a spoonful of soup to test salt, “She likes you,” she said, “Poor girl, so innocent. Does she not know of your slutty behavior?”

“Focus on the cooking, mother,” I waved at the girls and spoke steeply so that only Ai heard me, while my hand secretly pinched her waist.

Two other girls also woke up, taking seats. Akane giggled from her spot on an armchair, her laughter bright and clear. "Looks like the stars of the show needed that rest. You guys better get used to hectic schedules though, idol life is a lot harder than actress’ life," she teased, her tone light and affectionate.

Mai Senpai, who had found comfort on a couch, shared a soft look with Akane and then turned to Ruby with an encouraging smile. "You guys were amazing last night. The crowd loved you," she said, her voice warm with pride as she checked her phone. “Many people who know you’re the sister of my boyfriend have left tons of messages congratulating you,” she showed us her phone. “You guys were incredible.”

Ruby's smile widened into a grin as she blushed at Mai's words, a flush of pride replacing the sleepiness in her features. "Thanks, senpai-in-law. It felt like a dream, you know? Standing there, hearing everyone cheering for us... it was unreal."

“Cough-!” Ai choked beside me, presumably from the term ‘senpai-in-law’, but the other girls were used to it by now. I helped her calm down and returned our focus to the cooking.

The conversation gradually pulled the others awake, and they began to talk about their shared experiences from the night. They talked about their favorite moments, the loudest cheers, creepy weebos, and the minor mishaps that only made the evening more memorable. It was fun listening to them.

As the morning lazily drifted towards noon, the atmosphere in the household shifted from sleepy to lively. Ai and I served them food in a room filled with laughter as the group rehashed the best parts of their performance.

It was a fun morning, for sure.

****

– Ding Dong!

The haze of the morning was abruptly cut short by the sound of the doorbell. “I’ll go check,” With a curious frown, I excused myself from the laughter-filled living room and headed to the door.

“Coming,” I said before opening the door, blinking in surprise. Well, I had already sensed their presence, so I wasn’t really surprised, but still.

The visitors were somewhat unexpected, it was Rias and her peerage, a group of two guys and three girls.

“Good morning~ Aqua!” Rias greeted with a warm smile, her crimson hair dancing in the wind, a stark contrast against the clear morning sky. Behind her, the members of her peerage – Akeno, Koneko, Kiba, and Saji – stood in a semi-circle, each offering a polite nod.

“Uh, hey, good morning,” I greeted, masking my lack of surprise at her knowing my address with a light tone. Creepy girl.

By stirring the pot like this, and enjoying the stupefied gaze of everyone who wasn’t a devil, I enjoyed the spectacle that unfolded before me for the next few minutes.

“....”

The air in the room thickened, electrified by the revelation of Serafall’s true identity as one of the Satans. Specifically the Leviathan in question, she shot me a dirty look for revealing her identity without her permission, and I bit my tongue to apologize.

Whispers fluttered through the room, but all fell silent as Serafall’s gaze locked onto Ai, her expression a mix of astonishment.

"Sera.... You’re a devil? Satan Leviathan?" Ai began, frowning as her voice carried a razor-sharp edge of authority that had everyone's attention snapping at her. "Count me surprised... but oh well. It's quite odd to see you in this light. I never fully expected the scope of your... talents."

Serafall, for her part, managed a graceful recovery from the initial shock of being outed. She flashed a dazzling smile, one that had charmed countless fans and foes alike. "I’m glad you didn’t ask how much of my popularity was naturally earned—the answer is all of it! But I’m glad you didn’t question it," she said, her tone light but her eyes sharp. "It’s an honor to reveal my true identity to you. Even if I didn’t get to do it myself," she shot me another dirty look.

The others in the room shifted, looking from Ai to Serafall, trying to grasp the full implications of this unexpected turn. Ruby looked between her mom and Serafall, trying to piece together her own thoughts.

"I've always admired the way you handle your celebrity life and private life, you’re too secretive. Now it makes sense why," Ai said, recalling the past.

Serafall giggled, "Thank you, Senpai, it had to be done. I can say the same to you,” she looked at me and my sister for emphasis. “What is your relationship to Aqua and Ruby?”

“Well,” I started. The conversation led us to the usual lies that we told people, that Ai was our aunt on paper, and that we lived together. We spoke, and I noticed a subtle change in Rias’ eyes when she realized Ai was basically my mother figure; I hoped she wouldn’t try too hard to impress Ai since Ai was my woman too.

Later, the two grown women sat down and indulged in conversation and forgot about the passage of time, so I took the kids around the house. I purposefully avoided taking them to the gym, as I was sure the stupid Kiba would try to fight Xenovia and Irina if he saw their swords.

****

Hours later, Serafall came to find me herself with an urgent look on her face, “I’m sorry, but I’m quite busy. I’ll need to be going now. But before I go, I have to talk to you about something.”

So Ruby wasn’t the only reason for her visit today, I wasn’t surprised because she did mention it. I had a feeling I knew what she wanted to talk about, too.

Serafall wanted to talk in a more private setting, and she didn’t mind Rias and Sona being present there. So I led them to a room, sat down, and sealed the room’s sound with a simple verbal command.

"We have the three faction meeting scheduled for tomorrow," Rias began, her tone shifting to one of seriousness, which was rare. "It's been delayed multiple times due to various... complications, but we have finally settled on a time tomorrow.”

I wondered what complications she meant, but it didn’t matter to me. Serafall nodded in agreement, her usual flamboyance tempered by the gravity of the discussion. "This is a crucial time. The three biblical factions have been at war ever since, and although it appears calm these days, a cold war has been going on still. This meeting is important for many reasons, we’ll be writing history tomorrow. And your presence, Aqua," she turned her gaze to me, "would be invaluable. As you've been a significant influence in many of our recent deliberations, you should be present there."

I listened, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed, feeling the weight of their expectations. They wanted me there. The room waited for my response, the air thick with anticipation.

"I appreciate the invitation, but," I started, my voice calm and measured. "I think it's best if I sit this one out. Sounds like too much work for me." A murmur of surprise and some whispers of dissent fluttered through the room.

"B-but, why?!" Rias pressed, her brow furrowing slightly. “If nothing, you’ll get to meet the different leaders of the factions...”

"She’s right. On top of that," Serafall added, "your unique position and connections could bridge problematic gaps between the three of us. You are holy enough to wield Mjolnir so Michael will like you, and you have a history with Azazel so he’ll need to cooperate if you demand something."

I shook my head slightly, a faint smile playing on my lips as I considered their words. "I'm aware of the stakes, and while I understand where you're coming from, I still can't be bothered. I’m choosing to prioritize differently."

The room's atmosphere shifted, a wave of frustration emanating from my opposing parties. Akeno looked at me, her expression one of understanding and a hint of amusement, the sole exception. Did she love how easily I took myself out of supernatural politics? Cute. I didn’t want to be pulled into a world that demanded much but offered little in terms of personal peace.

"My focus right now is here, with my family and those close to me," I continued, gesturing around the house. "I can train them in a day to advance greatly, why must I waste it? Plus I am not part of the biblical faction, I have no reason to be there."

"But Aqua," Sona interjected, her voice soft yet firm, "avoiding the politics doesn't mean it will avoid you. The decisions made there affect everyone, including those you're trying to protect. It’ll affect the entire world."

I nodded, acknowledging her point. "True. I’m raising my own faction, kind of, in the form of my Sect. Other factions do not matter to me until we’re big enough to make a difference. Again, it’s a waste of time for me to go there.”

The group digested my words, and while some seemed to understand, others were clearly disappointed. After minutes, Rias finally nodded, albeit reluctantly. "While I hope you'll reconsider, we'll respect your decision."

"As will I," Serafall chimed in, though her disappointment was palpable. "The offer stands. Should you change your mind, you’re allowed to visit the school tomorrow.”

"I'll keep that in mind," I assured her with a nod.

Slowly, the group dispersed, with Rias and her peerage making their way out. Only Serafall lingered for a few more moments of casual chat, away from the politics of the world. Oh and, I noticed Akeno wanted to tell me something, but when I asked her, she avoided it and left. Huh, was this about Kokabiel?

The day rolled down its curtains with the family and friends retreating back to their homes. One by one, the other girls began to leave as well.

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