The day after Zevion left felt unnaturally long.
The kind of day that stretches thin like old paper, filled with silence that presses down heavier than noise ever could.
Morning light filtered through the tall windows of the Occult Research Club room, glinting off polished teacups and the faint steam rising from Akeno's teapot.
Dust motes floated lazily in the air, caught in the sunlight.
Normally, this scene would feel warm, peaceful.
But today, it just felt hollow.
He was gone.
Not forever, of course.
Zevion wasn't dead — just away, on his short trip to England.
But his absence left a void far larger than three or four days' worth of distance.
Rias sat by the window, her crimson hair glowing softly in the sunlight, yet her eyes were distant.
She hadn't touched her tea.
Akeno poured another cup with that ever-present, serene smile — but even that looked a little forced.
The silence lingered like a fog neither of them wanted to acknowledge.
I sat in my usual corner of the couch, legs tucked under me, nibbling absently on a cookie that didn't taste right anymore.
It was too sweet without his teasing voice filling the room.
Funny how much difference one person's presence makes.
Rias finally broke the silence.
"Still no message from Yuuto?"
Her tone was calm, but the tension beneath it was clear.
Akeno shook her head.
"He said he wanted some time alone. I assumed it was just him sorting his thoughts. But… there's been nothing since."
Rias sighed softly, leaning back.
"This isn't like him. He doesn't disappear without a word."
I lowered my gaze.
It wasn't hard to figure out why.
Ever since the President mentioned the two exorcists who had arrived — Irina and Xenovia — something inside Kiba had changed.
You could see it in the way he'd clench his jaw at the mention of Excalibur, or how his eyes would harden before he masked it with that polite smile.
Pain.
Resentment.
Memories.
I didn't know everything about his past, but even I could tell it was something deep enough to cut bone.
A knock broke through the quiet.
Three sharp, controlled taps.
"Come in," Rias said immediately.
The door opened to reveal Sona Sitri, her ever-composed presence filling the room like a gust of cooler air, followed by Tsubaki, graceful and attentive as always.
Both looked more serious than usual.
"Good morning," Sona greeted, adjusting her glasses.
"I hope we're not intruding, but we need to talk."
Rias gestured toward the couches.
"You're always welcome here, Sona. I assume this is about the Church agents?"
"Precisely."
Sona sat across from her, crossing one leg over the other.
Her voice carried that distinct mix of calm and caution — the tone she used when dissecting strategy.
"Two exorcists, both wielding Excalibur fragments, deployed to track down the thief who stole other fragments of the same sword. It's… unusual. Too unusual."
Tsubaki nodded slightly, adjusting the file in her hand.
"If the Church's most sacred weapon was stolen, it suggests a high-level breach. Sending two mid-ranked exorcists, and young ones at that, even if they wield other Excalibur fragments, is either desperation or a front."
Akeno smiled faintly, though her eyes were sharp.
"So you're suggesting they're bait?"
"That," Sona replied, "or expendable decoys meant to draw out the real thief."
The word expendable made the air feel heavier.
Rias frowned.
"They refused any cooperation when we offered help yesterday. Strict orders, they said. It was clear they didn't trust devils — even after one of them is Zevion's childhood friend."
"Typical Church attitude," Akeno muttered under her breath, swirling her tea.
"So rigid they'd rather die than accept help from 'sinners.'"
Sona sighed softly.
"Still, it's strange. For two Holy Sword users to come here of all places, at this particular time, when the human who connects both sides — Zevion — is absent… I don't believe in coincidences that convenient."
Her words made Rias's expression darken slightly.
Tsubaki stepped forward.
"There's more. One of my familiars reported seeing Kiba near the outskirts earlier this morning — heading toward the abandoned church district."
The teacup in Rias's hand stopped halfway to her lips.
"…The church?"
"Yes."
Tsubaki's tone was gentle but steady.
"He was alone. I didn't follow, but the direction he was headed… It's where the exorcists are searching at that time."
I could feel the faint thrum of demonic energy flicker in the room — Rias's aura flaring for a second before she reined it in.
So she already feared this.
Akeno set down her cup with a quiet sigh.
"So he's gone after them himself. I suspected as much."
Rias murmured, "Yuuto…"
Her eyes softened — equal parts worry and guilt.
Sona's tone grew firm.
"That's dangerous. If he engages them, it could easily be interpreted as devil aggression. The other side could seize the opportunity to interfere. We might have another cross-faction conflict before we even realize it."
Tsubaki looked concerned.
"It's also unlike Kiba to act recklessly. But… from what I've seen, this matter with the Holy Swords isn't just business for him. It's personal."
"Very personal," Rias admitted, her voice quieter now.
"It's tied to his past — to pain he never truly let go of."
A silence settled over us again, filled only by the faint ticking of the wall clock.
Even Sona's expression softened slightly, understanding the weight of it.
After a moment, she said, "We'll assist however we can. My peerage will monitor the area discreetly. If the situation escalates, I'll contact my sister. This can't turn into another incident between factions."
Rias nodded gratefully.
"Thank you, Sona. Truly."
"Don't thank me yet," she replied with a faint smirk.
"I'd rather not have to explain another Kuoh-related disaster to my elder sister."
That earned a small, reluctant chuckle from Rias — even Akeno smiled for real this time.
I stayed quiet, just listening.
Watching.
The way they spoke about Zevion, the Church, the balance between factions… it reminded me how fragile everything really was.
Rias finally rose from her seat, her crimson hair falling like silk around her shoulders.
"We can't sit still anymore. If Yuuto's chasing ghosts from his past, then we'll bring him back before he does something irreversible."
Akeno stood as well, her tone gentle.
"I'll send out my familiars. We'll find him before sunset."
Sona gave a short nod.
"Good. I'll keep a watch over the Church perimeter. If anything stirs, you'll know."
Then, as she turned to leave, Rias smiled faintly.
"You sound just like Zevion, you know. Always anticipating the worst."
For a moment, Sona blinked — then allowed herself a small, genuine smile.
"Maybe his paranoia is contagious."
Akeno chuckled.
"He'd probably take that as a compliment."
Rias exhaled softly, glancing toward the window where sunlight danced on the glass.
"Let's hope he's enjoying his trip while we deal with this chaos."
I followed her gaze.
The couch Zevion always sat on looked painfully empty, like even the air around it was waiting for him to return.
And for a moment, I realized how quiet everything had truly become without him.
The silence wasn't peaceful anymore.
And all of us were waiting for him.
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