It was the weekend today.
I had put on the clothes Dante wears in the 2007 DMC anime and was walking around the streets.
My guitar case was slung over my back.
I like going out sometimes just to clear my empty head.
But on the other side of the road, I saw Issei, and a woman in a nun's clothes bumped into him.
Asia?
A blue screen appeared in front of me.
[Quest: Save Asia before she is killed by fallen angels.]
[Reward: Demonic Energy Mastery]
'How much mastery are we talking about?'
[As close as another limb of yours, or even closer.]
'Got it.'
I had already mastered it to a high degree anyway, but I was still curious.
There might be usage methods I didn't know about yet, I thought.
Meanwhile, Issei and Asia kept talking.
I went to the park where Issei died, eating ice cream.
I took out my guitar and set the case on the ground.
Sometimes I play as a street performer — not for money, just for fun and to clear my mind.
The place was already full of people.
"Soy un hombre muy honrado, Que me gusta lo mejor, Pa' mujeres no me falta, Ni el dinero, ni el amor, Jineteando en mi caballo, Por la sierra yo me voy, Las estrellas y la luna, Ellas me dicen donde voy."
(Translation: I am a very honest man, who likes the best things. I'm never short of women, nor money, nor love. Riding on my horse, I go through the mountains, the stars, and the moon. They tell me where I'm going.)
People passed by occasionally.
For some reason, I felt like the DMC reboot, El Donte experience.
Well, if I can speak Spanish, why not use it?
I was playing just for fun — that was what mattered.
A few people dropped some money into the case now and then.
But then I saw someone I didn't expect in the park: Akeno was standing there, watching me.
She even came right up to me: "Wow, Arthur-kun, I didn't know you had this side to you."
"Akeno? I wasn't expecting to see you here alone."
"Is it that surprising? Can't a girl go out by herself?"
I narrowed my eyes, pocketed the money from the case, and put the guitar away: "So, do you have a plan?"
"Not really. I just came back from the shrine. Actually… how about going on a date with me?"
I studied her carefully: "You seem like a troubled girl…"
"Hm? Where did that come from?" she said.
She genuinely looked surprised.
In her mind, I should have immediately accepted, instead of instant rejection.
But she grabbed my arm: "Come on, Arthur-kun, you're so boring. Let me take you around a bit."
"Sure, let's go…"
I was being dragged completely against my will.
What's wrong with this girl?
We went to a restaurant for lunch.
I ordered pizza; she ordered ramen: "So, Arthur-kun, what did you mean when you said I seem like a troubled girl?"
"You're a fallen angel, aren't you?" I said.
Her eyes widened: "How did you know…?"
"Devil Net. Finding a little information about you — and even Rias's peerage — is way too easy. You can curse free media all you want," I said.
Akeno put her hand to her forehead: "So that's why you've been keeping your distance from me…"
"No. The reason I keep my distance is that I can see at a glance that you don't accept that bloodline of yours. I don't exactly know what happened in your past, but there's a saying: 'If you cling to the past, the future fucks you.' It's crude, but it's true. I'd prefer you accept your blood."
Akeno narrowed her eyes: "What do you even know…?"
"Let's not talk about discrimination, Akeno. It was easy to learn about your past. What I'm saying is: the Himejima family treated you badly, but even though they did, you hate your father more than them. I don't know why he wasn't there, but I'm sure your mother did everything she could to keep you alive."
Akeno was crying. People around us were staring.
Some even looked like they wanted to kill me with their eyes.
I handed her a napkin: "Think about it carefully. This is a friend's advice."
"I understand…"
After that, we had a very awkward moment.
When evening came, and we were about to part ways, I grabbed a balloon from a nearby stand and gave it to her: "Good evening, Akeno."
"Good night, Arthur."
I walked away. This had been a gamble.
If she accepts her power, it could help her in the Rating Game fight against Riser — or she might end up hating me completely.
I didn't really care either way.