Griselda picked up almost instantly.
"What is it, Rhode?" Her familiar, mature voice filled the line.
"What, you're not asleep yet?"
There was a pause on the other end. "Is this the time I should be sleeping?"
"Oh, damn. I forgot you're in a different time zone. It's just evening for you."
Rhode had intended to prank her with a late-night call, but he'd forgotten the time difference. Griselda was speechless; she couldn't believe he'd try such a childish prank. Then she remembered she had called him late at night before. Was he trying to get back at her? How petty.
"I'll call you back in eight hours then."
"Wait—"
"Just kidding. I just got back from the Okunoin."
"Oh? Tell me everything."
Rhode gave her a simplified version of the night's events. When he finished, Griselda was silent for a long time.
"I didn't think the Fallen Angels would still be obsessed with Sacred Gear research. It's a good thing you stopped Sataniel; if he had succeeded, the consequences would have been dire. However, this means the Five Great Clans will likely increase their scrutiny of outsiders. I suggest you leave Kyoto as soon as possible. There's no telling what those xenophobic exorcists will do if they snap."
"I know what I'm doing," Rhode replied.
"I trust you do. Just stay safe. Take some time to rest." Griselda sighed. Though Rhode had summarized it in a few sentences, she knew the situation must have been incredibly dangerous. She felt a twinge of guilt for sending him on such a mission. Fortunately, his strength exceeded her expectations—taking down a Fallen Angel executive like Sataniel was an incredible feat.
Rhode, however, wasn't happy about the "rest" part.
"Rest is fine, but you know me. The world is in a precarious state. There must be plenty of urgent tasks. How can I sleep? If there's a mission, give it to me. Only people who are useless to world peace need rest!"
Griselda: "..."
She realized she was being too kind to him. She had always treated him like a younger brother rather than just a mercenary, but he clearly didn't appreciate the sentiment. She had thought about looking after his personal life more, but now it seemed completely unnecessary.
Still, there were no missions suitable for him at the moment. She couldn't exactly send him after low-level stray devils anymore.
After hanging up, Rhode decided to stay in Kyoto for a few more days to observe the fallout and wait for Lavinia to arrive. He left the bathroom and went to the living room to lie down on the sofa.
Before long, he heard a rustling sound.
In the soft glow from the bedroom door, Asia stood holding a pillow, wearing a simple nightgown. Her emerald eyes looked at him, her expression hesitating.
"What's wrong? Can't sleep because of the jet lag?"
"No... no. I'm just... a little scared to sleep alone."
The last few days had been more harrowing than the rest of her life combined. Asia couldn't stop tossing and turning, terrified of being alone again. Hearing him leave the bathroom, she had hesitated for a long time before getting out of bed.
She had a speech prepared, but looking at him, the words got stuck in her throat. Telling him she "didn't mind sleeping with Mr. Rhode" felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.
"If you can't sleep, come here." Rhode patted the empty spot on the oversized sofa. It was easily large enough for two or three people.
He was mostly joking, but Asia's face lit up with hope.
"Re... really?!" she asked, her voice filled with pure anticipation. She gripped her pillow tight. If she had a tail, it would be wagging like a blur.
Rhode was caught off guard by her enthusiasm, but he wasn't about to take back his words. Asia quickly hurried over, set her pillow down, and climbed onto the sofa, her face flushed. "Sorry for... for the intrusion."
She lay down on her side next to him, instinctively curling under the sofa's single blanket. Seeing her so decisive, Rhode didn't think much of it and lay back down.
As he pulled the blanket over them, a faint, refreshing fragrance drifted from the girl. Rhode remained calm, but Asia—despite being the one who asked—couldn't actually fall asleep. Now that she was lying there, she realized the gravity of what she'd done.
A man and a woman alone in a room... what if Mr. Rhode did something to her? What should she do? Should she "graciously accept his sin"?!
No, no! Mr. Rhode isn't that kind of person!
Amidst her mental tug-of-war, exhaustion finally won out, and she drifted off. Rhode didn't do anything. If she had been "ready," that might be one thing, but with her showing him such total, innocent trust, he couldn't bring himself to be a predator. There would be plenty of time for that later.
The night passed without incident. As dawn broke over the island nation, the morning sun felt warm and peaceful. The chaos of the previous night hadn't touched the world of ordinary humans, but Rhode could smell a lingering tension in the air.
None of that mattered to him, though. He was too busy enjoying the fact that the "pillow" in his arms was exceptionally soft.
When he woke up, he found that Asia had moved in her sleep. They should have had a twenty-centimeter gap between them, but by morning, she was pressed firmly against him. She might look petite, but she was surprisingly "developed" in all the right places.
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High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (117 Chapters – Ongoing)
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