"W… what? You're seriously asking me to prove that I'm really me… are you for real?"
Sanguinius stared at the girl as if he suspected something was wrong with her brain.
A gesture that Saya noticed.
"S-stop looking at me like that! I'm dead serious. Nothing guarantees you're not some shady guy…" she shot back sharply.
Sanguinius remained stoic for a moment in the face of the girl's stubborn attitude, then decided to put an end to this pointless argument.
He had other priorities.
'Wait… I've never really visited the staff-only area of the fortress, have I?'
Even after the unpleasant experience he'd just had with his father, Sanguinius retained a personality akin to Ryo Saeba: he loved living in the moment.
He no longer cared about having fled the Biblical God without a second thought. For now, he simply wanted to learn more about the other worlds discovered by his clones and the refuges they had established.
Of course, he already had a general idea of how the Administrator treated these places, but seeing them with his own eyes was worth more than mere reports.
"Moebius!"
At his call, the AI instantly materialized in the form of a fairy.
She gave Sanguinius a look of apparent respect, but the angel could read her holographic face like an open book.
Her eyes practically screamed, 'Praise me, mortal'—a result of her role in his rescue on the island of Paphos.
"Moebius, you were incredible against the Biblical God, but I still need you to confirm my identity to this girl…" he said with an exhausted tone.
Moebius nodded toward Sanguinius, then turned her attention to Saya.
"Miss Saya, this is indeed Sanguinius."
The fairy simply stated the truth aloud.
Sanguinius could tell she was genuinely savoring his gratitude; her cheerful tone was proof enough. But he doubted a single statement would be enough to convince a girl like Saya.
"Seriously, you think one sentence will do the trick…"
He didn't have time to finish his thought before reality proved him wrong.
"I-is that true, Moebius-sama? Is he really the extraordinary mind behind this place?"
When Moebius confirmed the girl's words with a casual nod, Saya turned to Sanguinius.
Her eyes reflected a complex mix of emotions: admiration, awe, and hope.
Yet, the angel was already past her reaction. What held his attention was Moebius's proud gaze.
"P-please, I want to see my parents and friends in the other world again!"
Saya's urgent voice broke the staring contest between the AI, who was growing far too smug for her own good, and Sanguinius, who was seriously considering reprogramming her personality.
Saya's words disrupted the situation, which Moebius was starting to find dangerous.
The AI couldn't help but silently thank Saya in her artificial heart.
"To hear you, one would think you were forcibly separated by the fortress, which is impossible and untrue: the staff always had the choice to stay in their original world or abide by the rules of this place."
Unfortunately for Saya, Sanguinius wasn't lying about the treatment of the survivors rescued by the fortress.
All the people saved by the clones came from worlds on the brink of destruction or already doomed.
In such conditions, what real choice did an ordinary person like Saya, desperate to protect her family and life, truly have?
Sanguinius and the Administrator knew this but had prioritized efficiency over feelings.
They had exploited the despair of these distressed people to catch up on the technological lag of the DxD universe.
This was why Moebius, under the Administrator's guidance, had enforced a particularly strict selection process:
- Individuals with a certain level of intelligence stayed at the fortress.
- Teenagers and adults were trained for future wars in the other world (Konosuba).
- Children and the elderly could live in peace in Axel.
It was only after a discussion with Lindow Amamiya that Sanguinius decided to stop conscripting teenagers, though this order had not yet taken effect.
Moebius averted her gaze, a palpable unease on her face. As the executor of the Administrator's orders, she could already sense future problems… and more work.
"I… I understand that my request might seem greedy," Saya said, pausing briefly before continuing, "But I'm only asking… for the right to see them once a week… no, even once a month would be enough."
The confident, proud girl was gone. All Sanguinius saw now was a young girl worried about her parents, standing before him.
Unconsciously, he thought of little Demacia, left in the city of Axel in the Konosuba universe.
If Sanguinius had lost today against his own father, what would become of his daughter, his son, and his wives?
Would the clones inform them? Or would his loved ones receive only false information, as they had during his coma?
Because of the Biblical God, Sanguinius had become aware of his arrogance toward Lindow Amamiya and the multiverse.
Lindow had simply wanted to give the children some breathing room, and Sanguinius had been cold and haughty toward him and those who supported his cause.
Why? Because he was stronger.
Because of that fact, he had treated Lindow and the other refugees like mere numbers in a report… mere resources.
He had only seen the immediate gain, ignoring the hearts of the people… even though he knew better.
Humans are irrational, and the world is unpredictable.
Tanya von Degurechaff had died because of this mistake: she had found it logical to view things solely from a rational perspective.
The result was her death, caused by the hand of an incompetent man she despised.
Sanguinius could have met a similar fate.
He could have died (or been punished) because the Biblical God was "stronger," and he would have been subject to his judgment, just as Lindow had been to his.
'Beyond that, I need to realize something else…' he thought, looking at the girl nearly in tears before him.
Sanguinius needed to maintain control, not just over his powers. Even if history only remembers the victors, he couldn't lose himself in the pursuit of power.
He couldn't become cold like Jaehwan.
So, he raised his hand toward Saya.
"I… I'll do anything… n-no, wait, not here."
Sanguinius was confused by the pink-haired teenager's words but continued his gesture to its conclusion. Finally, his hand rested between the two ponytails on Saya's head.
"Sorry for being a jerk… I'll make sure teenagers are freed from their obligations as soon as possible, and I'll ease the duties of adults toward the Neo-Citadel."
Saya had closed her eyes, resigned to her fate after seeing Sanguinius's gesture. She had thought the man wanted to quickly claim his prize.
Yet, the perverse, unpleasant sensation never came. Instead, she felt Sanguinius's hand gently patting her head.
It was their first physical contact. The girl was surprised by the soothing effect of Sanguinius's passive trust aura. Saya felt at peace.
The face she had considered that of a playboy became that of an unreachable being… but her heart was already drawn to him.
This situation was triggered by Sanguinius's state of serenity, as he forgot to restrain his trust aura after the battle.
Normally, this passive effect would never have reached such a level, but Saya had been touched by him while he was in full release.
The contact was brief, but Saya saw Sanguinius as the people of Axel did: a hero, a saint.
The words he had spoken were the final drop that made the cup overflow.
'W-why is my heart beating so fast?'
Sanguinius stepped back from Saya and turned his attention to Moebius.
"Can you show me the area where the 'intelligent' refuge from the other visited worlds is located?"
Moebius sensed the strange atmosphere. She chose to avoid any remarks or jokes, unlike her usual habit. She flew off in a direction before speaking to Sanguinius.
"Follow me, it's not far."
Sanguinius followed the hologram, his mind already working on increasing his strength and improving the atmosphere between the clones and the citadel's staff.
'After sorting out the situation between the Neo-Citadel and its personnel, I'll look into the available worlds in detail,'he thought.
He had already decided to meet Ogre, as she was the strongest among his allies, alongside Ryu Hanbin. He had set his sights on Ogre, unlike the Korean, because Ryu Hanbin lacked true supernatural power for now.
The guy was just strong.
Ogre, on the other hand, had already challenged gods that Ryu's future master wouldn't easily handle.
However, all of this was still just a plan for the future. He had no intention of moving for now.
Unless… something unexpected happened.