DxD: The Sorcery System Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Kyoto (2/2)

“Ah! So soft!” Saji exclaimed, leaping onto the bed and practically bouncing on it due to its soft, cushiony surface.

“How much did they spend on our rooms?” I couldn't help but ask. “It must have cost a ridiculous amount to afford such luxurious rooms for all the students.”

The room was the textbook definition of luxury—cozy beds, a massive bathroom, a huge television, various refreshments, and even a mini fridge stocked with beer, which we used for storing juice and soda.

“They probably spent a lot, but not as much as you think,” Saji muttered, flipping through the sheets on his bed.

“What do you mean?”

I knew our school was wealthy, but they must have spent an astronomical amount to provide such rooms for so many students.

“Well…” He rolled onto his back, lounging around. “These rooms are only for the student council members. Everyone else gets standard rooms.”

“What…”

“I mean, our school is rich, but not rich enough to splurge on dozens of students,” he said, nuzzling into the bed, seemingly unconcerned by what he’d just said.

This couldn’t be special treatment just because they were on the student council, could it?

“Sona is an heiress,” Saji added. “So who else but her would get the most prestigious room, right?”

“I guess so.”

I wondered if they realized it, but both heiresses were extremely privileged.

Now, I don’t say this in a negative way. Being privileged is something everyone hopes for, but not everyone gets to live that reality.

However, the thing was, neither Rias nor Sona seemed aware of how cushy their lives were.

“The rich have their struggles too,” Saji said, noticing my thoughtful expression.

“They do.” I fully agreed.

I saw it with Rias. Lack of freedom was one of the biggest prices one could pay.

However, the two heiresses often forgot that everyone has struggles. The challenges they faced were ones even the poor experienced.

And guess what’s worse than having no freedom?

Having no freedom and having no money or power.

“I respect both of them,” I said to Saji. 

But they still need to understand that some people around us are living much more difficult lives.

“Mhm,” he nodded. “And you know?” He added, catching my interest. “You have quite a bit of comfort that many can’t even dream of. Maybe not to the level of Sona and Rias, but definitely better than most people walking around us every day.”

Oh, I wouldn’t deny that for a second.

“And I express my gratitude every day for how blessed I am to be moving towards an even better life.”

I was privileged too, as Saji pointed out. But one shouldn’t flaunt that privilege, because life is unpredictable.

Saji shrugged. “Good that you know.”

And with that, he turned over and started scrolling through his phone, losing interest in the conversation.

I also changed clothes and checked my phone. It was still quite sunny outside, and Sona had asked me to join her for a walk earlier, likely to discuss the Shinto gods and factions.

But for now, I decided to take a cold shower and relax in the cool room.

I wonder if it’s just me who feels like taking a good nap after washing up and sitting under the AC for a while.

Most people feel the urge to be productive after a bath, and believe me, I usually do too. But when the room is as cool and cozy as this… I feel like doing nothing but resting for a long while.

And guess what?

It wasn’t just a nap, but a deep sleep that almost lasted until the sun was setting.

And now? The only reason I woke up was because my phone was buzzing.

“H-Hello?” My voice was dry, a result of sleeping so long.

I blame the trip for how exhausted I felt.

``Reo? Did you just wake up?``

I wondered how she knew—oh, right.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around. Sure enough, Saji was gone.

“Yeah, my bad.” But I didn’t stay in bed; I forced myself up. “But I’m awake now.”

I rubbed my eyes, popped my neck, and got off the bed.

``Good,`` came her voice. ``But I expect you to be here in the next fifteen minutes, because I’ve already been waiting here for the last thirty.``

What time—shit.

“I…”

``Don’t apologize,`` I could hear her sigh through the phone. ``I know you’ve been exhausted by… everything. So don’t overthink it, just come.``

“Fifteen minutes,” I repeated her words and immediately rushed to the bathroom for another shower.

Why? Because my hair was a mess, and it’s much easier to style wet hair than dry, rough hair.

Face Wash and shower gel. 

That’s all I used to freshen up before slipping into some decent clothes.

Nothing fancy, just not… all black.

A little splash of color.

And by ‘color,’ I mean gray and white.

White, gray, and black—pretty much all guys wear.

Most guys, including me.

Anyway, that’s all I did before heading out to meet her—huffing and slightly out of breath from running.

Twenty-five minutes past six in the evening.

“Ten minutes late,” Sona said, without even checking her phone’s clock.

She just knew the time by the second.

“I expected you to take longer.” Surprisingly, she wasn’t upset.

“You’re… okay with me being late?” I found that amusing.

“Well, I was a little annoyed, but then I remembered you’ve had a much more exhausting few days than I have.” She finally smiled, showing she wasn’t angry. “So, it’s fine.”

I honestly thought she would say something about it. But I guess she’s strict, not heartless.

“So, do you want to talk here or somewhere else?”

Her question made me look around. It was actually a really nice spot, with almost no one around except for a couple or two who had snuck past the park fences into the woods—probably for some privacy.

“Do you want to go to an arcade or something?” I asked. “We could talk over a game?”

I just didn’t like this place, even though I knew that quiet settings were best for discussing the supernatural.

“And maybe you could set up a barrier so we don’t get spied on?”

I had barriers, but I wasn’t familiar with casting a soundproof one.

At least not yet, and I wasn’t willing to try it in a crowded place.

Why?

Because my luck was just that bad.

Every time I tried practicing my magic in secluded places, considered abandoned or haunted, someone always ended up seeing me casting my spells.

So no way was I going to attempt a new spell I’d never cast before in a place filled with people.

Especially people with no connection to the supernatural.

As for Sona?

She took a deep breath, stared at me for a solid moment before finally giving in.

“I’m pretty sure you’d try to persuade me or use confusing words to get your way,” she smiled. “So, let’s go without needing an hour-long discussion.”

Well, it wouldn’t have taken an hour… but yeah.

She wouldn’t have won against my reasoning.

I came prepared.

“Then let’s talk mythology over some games.”

…

…

[Late Evening — Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto]

Hidden behind the closed doors of the temple was a fox, a certain beautiful fox with fur that shone more brilliantly than the moon. She concealed her tails with magic, careful not to take up more space than necessary in front of the two beings—two gods who had astrally projected themselves into the temple.

“You know we cannot risk any secrets being revealed, right, Yasaka?” The voice was soft, masculine, and pleasing to the ear. “The devil, in particular, must never learn of this.”

The fox slowly transformed into a human—a woman with golden locks and eyes more beautiful than any human could ever dream of having.

They never could.

“I understand, my lord.” The fox yokai, the nine-tailed beast of Shinto, bowed respectfully. “They shall never learn of this.”

“Shinto is to be represented by you, Yasaka,” came another voice, feminine and calm. “We had reasons to let go of Kuoh, but no other land, especially in this country, shall ever be ceded to any other faction or pantheon.”

“I will see to it, my lady,” she promised. “I shall keep a close watch on them while they roam here.”

The two gods smiled at the beautiful woman.

“Then keep watch on our behalf, Yasaka.”

“Certainly, Lady Amaterasu, Lord Tsukuyomi.”

For the two gods knew they could see everything while both the sun and moon were in the sky. 

But there were conditions that could obscure their vision, and lately, that had been happening far too often.

________________________________________________________________________

[[A/N: Sorry, couldn't do the 2 chapters that I promised. Got busy today.]]