Of course, this didn't mean Asia had never eaten meat before. It was just that the meat prepared in the Church was usually incredibly bland, tasting like nothing in the mouth. Thus, eating "outside food" for the first time moved Asia to tears of pure emotion.
For a moment, the girl even forgot the sorrow of her exile. What she held in her hands felt like a wrap made of pure happiness. However, she soon began to choke because she was eating too fast. Rhode had to give her a large gulp of soda before she finally recovered.
After tasting the fruity soda, Asia stared blankly at the plastic bottle in Rhode's hand and stuttered, "M-Mr. Rhode... I feel like something is... fighting inside my mouth. W-what is happening?"
"It's soda. It's not something fighting in your mouth; it's just the feeling of bubbles popping."
Faced with such a "cluelessly cute" girl, Rhode could only explain patiently. I'll just treat this like raising a pet, he thought.
"You can have the rest." Rhode saw Asia's fascinated look and handed the soda to her.
"T-thank you."
Taking the bottle as if it were a priceless treasure, Asia took a tentative, tiny sip. As the bubbles and fruit flavor exploded on her tongue, she squinted her eyes and gave a little shiver. To Asia, who had never tasted fast food, the ordinary meal Rhode treated her to was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted in her life.
Half an hour later.
Despite having eaten dinner earlier, Asia's little stomach was now slightly bulging. Rhode, currently sticking to his "pet-raising" mindset, wasn't stingy. He took her for a stroll through the Milan night market. Although the variety of snacks wasn't as vast as the markets in his previous life, it was still enough to leave Asia dazzled.
By the end of the half-hour, having sampled all sorts of treats, she was completely stuffed.
"M-Mr. Rhode, I'm so sorry... I don't think I can go to Kuoh Town right now... urgh..." Asia covered her mouth, looking like she might lose her dinner at any second.
"It's fine. I didn't plan on going there immediately anyway. I'll take you on a tour of Rome first. After all, you've lived here your whole life and probably haven't seen any of it, right?"
"...Eh? Is that really okay?"
"I also have some matters of my own to attend to."
"...Okay." Asia's eyes lit up instantly.
Since she could remember, she had lived within the Church. While she wasn't literally locked inside, she only left to accompany priests or other nuns to preach or handle chores at other convents. The excitement and bustle of the world were so close, yet so far away. As a "Saint," she was never allowed to wander freely.
However, Rhode didn't actually care about touring Rome. He just wanted to see when the "mission targets" would appear.
According to his memory of the original series, shortly after her exile, Asia was taken in by a group called the "Stray Exorcists" from the Far East. They claimed they wanted her to serve at a church in Kuoh Town, Japan.
Of course, that was a lie. What awaited Asia was a pre-arranged ritual to strip her of her Sacred Gear.
It was actually a bit ironic. Those Fallen Angels could have picked any city, but they chose the one under Rias Gremory's jurisdiction. If they had picked any other city, Asia likely would have died without anyone to help her.
Time slipped away as he mused.
Late at night, Rhode took the exhausted but still high-spirited Asia to a hotel. When the receptionist saw Rhode arriving with a girl dressed as a nun, her expression became quite strange. In a city full of cathedrals, bringing a girl "cosplaying" as a nun to a hotel room was a pretty bold move.
Rhode didn't care what anyone thought.
After booking a twin room, he led Asia upstairs.
"You go shower first. I'll go last." Rhode sat in a chair and started scrolling through his phone.
"Okay!" Asia agreed readily. She pulled some clothes from her suitcase and walked into the bathroom.
It wasn't until the hot water from the shower hit her face that the realization finally sank in. I... I'm staying in the same room as a member of the opposite sex?!
Realizing this, Asia cupped her cheeks with both hands. Her face turned red at a visible speed, making her look like a boiled crab.
"W-was it an accident? Or...?" Asia couldn't help but wonder. But she quickly shook her head, droplets of water flying everywhere onto the glass and mirror.
"No, no! Mr. Rhode definitely isn't that kind of person. He is a messenger sent by God to guide me. He treated me to delicious food and took me to many places. Besides, the room has two beds."
"It must be because there were no more rooms available."
"And Mr. Rhode is a messenger of God—how could he have those kinds of thoughts?! It must be my own thoughts that are evil. Lord, please forgive me. I shouldn't have thought that. Amen."
The girl made the sign of the cross over her chest. As she rationalized it, the flush on her face gradually faded.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room.
Rhode was staring speechlessly at the semi-transparent frosted glass of the bathroom. While he couldn't see everything clearly, the graceful silhouette of the girl's body was vaguely visible. Her pale skin, illuminated by the lights, looked like milk against the glass.
So, is this a "bonus" for all the hard work I've put in lately?
Whether it was a coincidence or the "arrangements of fate," it certainly fit the overall tone of the DxD universe. Since that was the case, he decided to appreciate the view openly.
In all fairness, Asia's figure was quite nice. She wasn't as "pronounced" as Rias or Akeno Himejima, but her petite frame was quite charming in its own way.
Before long, the sound of the shower stopped.
Dressed in a pair of simple pajamas, Asia walked out timidly, steam rising from her face. she didn't quite dare to meet Rhode's eyes.
"P-please go ahead," she said before scurrying over to her bed and diving under the covers.
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (53 Chapters – Ongoing)
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