Asia's POV
Before Kuoh… there was only silence.
They called me a saint. A miracle. A child blessed by God.
And for a while, I believed them.
I healed a dying dog. Then a child. Then a soldier.
And then… a devil.
One act of kindness. One mistake.
The Church turned on me. My brothers and sisters in faith looked at me like a monster.
They cast me out.
Alone. Cold. Unwanted.
Until they found me.
Raynare. Kalawarna. The Fallen Angels.
They promised me shelter… and used me like a tool.
A pawn for my Sacred Gear.
And tonight… they were going to take that too.
Take my life. My soul.
But Malrik… he saved me. Without asking for anything in return.
He gave me a choice.
I looked down at Raynare—wounded, begging, trembling.
Once, I would have forgiven her.
But not anymore.
I closed my eyes and whispered, "They were never going to stop."
When I opened them again… I had made my decision.
"I want them gone," I said, voice shaking but sure.
"Please… kill them."
———
Malrik's POV
Asia's voice echoed in the silence.
"I want them gone. Please… kill them."
I looked at her for a moment—really looked.
She was trembling, her hands clasped tight against her chest. But her eyes… her eyes were steady.
There was no hatred in them. No vengeance.
Just acceptance. Resolve.
I smiled softly.
"Good choice."
Raynare and Kalawarna instantly erupted into panic.
"N-No! Please!" Raynare cried, struggling in her bindings. "I was wrong! I was scared! Don't kill me—please!"
Kalawarna's voice followed, ragged and desperate. "We can disappear! We'll leave! You'll never see us again!"
I said nothing.
No last words. No drama.
Just movement.
With a flick of my wrist, my Sacred Gear activated. A blade—clean, simple, silent—materialized in my hand.
I stepped forward.
And with one clean stroke, I ended it.
First Raynare. Then Kalawarna.
Quick. Efficient.
Their heads fell to the floor with barely a sound. No screams. No theatrics. Just the quiet thud of justice carried out.
Asia flinched… but didn't look away.
The others?
Rias and her peerage stood behind me, unmoved. They knew what those two had done. They knew what they would've done again if given the chance.
Only Issei looked shaken.
He stared at Raynare's lifeless body, eyes wide, conflicted.
Part of him still saw the girl he once liked—the girl who once smiled at him like he was the most special boy in the world.
But that illusion had long since shattered.
She had tried to kill him. Lied to him. Used him.
Even if she hadn't succeeded—thanks to me—those wounds still lingered.
A shadow passed over his face… then lifted.
Like the last chain on his heart had finally snapped.
"...She's gone," he whispered.
He didn't cry.
He didn't smile.
He just stood there… quietly relieved.
The nightmare was over.
And I?
I simply turned away, letting the blood on my blade dissolve into sparks of magic.
It was done.
Asia had made her choice.
And I had followed through.
———
The air had gone still again. Blood had cooled, the magic circle flickered its last, and only dust remained where death had just passed.
I turned to Rias, sheathing the blade I'd conjured with a flick of my hand.
"They probably had accomplices," I said, casually dusting off my coat. "Followers too. I'll leave the rest to you."
Rias gave me a firm nod, her usual calm edged with a cold sharpness. "No problem. We'll handle cleanup."
"They're likely holed up at the old church," I added. "If I were hiding a nest of Fallen, that's where I'd start."
Her lips curled in agreement. "Yes, I think so too. Until now, we avoided that place—it was still under the Church's protection. Devils weren't exactly welcome there…"
She glanced toward the now-slain Raynare and Kalawarna.
"But given what's happened here tonight, I doubt anyone will complain if we burn that place down."
Without another word, Rias turned, her peerage following behind like trained blades. They disappeared into the night, silent and swift.
I exhaled, letting the tension bleed out of my shoulders.
Turning to Asia, I offered a hand and a small, warm smile.
"Shall we go home now?"
She looked up at me, eyes still trembling from the weight of everything she'd just witnessed—but she nodded.
"Yes."
From the side, I heard a very deliberate tongue-click.
Mittelt.
"Tch. Playboy," she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms with a small scowl.
Aika, ever ready, grinned as she leaned in. "So you're kidnapping a nun now? You just keep adding to your collection, don't you?"
I shrugged. "I prefer to call it a rescue."
Asia tilted her head, blinking. "Um… is this normal?"
"You'll get used to it," I said with a wink.
But just as I was about to open the door and lead us out—
A faint noise. A scuffle.
From the far corner of the room, where the rubble had piled high, a figure shifted.
I turned my head lazily and found a certain white-haired priest doing his best impression of a dead man, pressed against the wall like a shadow.
Freed Sellzen.
Still alive.
Still hiding.
Still hoping to sneak out when no one noticed.
Before I could say anything, Mittelt's eyes locked onto him like a predator spotting prey.
Her wings twitched.
"So… what are you going to do with that guy?" she asked, her voice sweet—and entirely untrustworthy.
I gave a lazy wave toward him. "I'll leave him to you."
Mittelt's eyes narrowed.
"Lazy."
Aika smirked. "Careful, Freed~ She's been waiting to pay you back."
Freed paled.
"Uh… w-wait, ladies—let's talk about thi—"
Mittelt cracked her knuckles, a dangerous smile spreading across her lips.
"No."
And just like that, the final piece of tonight's chaos was handled.
I turned back to Asia and offered her my hand again.
She took it.
Time to go home.