Eating Your Weight: Meeting the Folks

[Meeting the Folks]

We stayed like that for a few minutes longer, just breathing in the quiet comfort of each other’s presence. It was nice, almost enough to make me forget about the cult and the goddess and the fact that I’d almost died. Almost.

Eventually, though, reality crept back in. My stomach let out a growl loud enough to echo through the room, and Miyo pulled back with an amused smile.

“Hungry?”

“Starving,” I admitted. “Being almost dead for two days really works up an appetite.”

Miyo slid off the bed, stretching her arms over her head, and I took a moment to appreciate the view before moving to join her. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, or tried to, anyway. My knees buckled immediately, and I would have faceplanted into the carpet if Miyo hadn’t caught me.

“Easy,” she said, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Your body is still recovering. You need to take it slow.”

“I hate being slow,” I grumbled, but I let her support me as I found my footing.

Looking down at my naked body, I finally got a good look at the changes Nidhogg’s power had caused. The black scales were everywhere – crawling up my arms, scattered across my stomach and ribs, even tracing a line down the outside of my thigh. Thankfully, they left my crotch and breasts alone.

My hair had grown, falling well past my shoulders and down my back. The orange highlights had lengthened, rivers of magma running through the black from root to tip.

“Well,” I said, staring at my reflection in a nearby mirror. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”

Miyo followed my gaze, her expression unreadable. Then she reached out and ran a hand through my lengthened hair, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Her fingers lingered in my hair, combing through the tangled mess with a gentleness that was at odds with her usual stern demeanor. “The look suits you.”

“Really?” I tilted my head, catching my reflection in the mirror again. “It’s been a while since my hair was this long. I thought the short look suited me better.”

“This has a certain allure to it. It looks more... wild, I suppose. It suits your new disposition,” I smiled at the compliment and she paused, adding, “As do the fangs.”

I blinked. Fangs?

My tongue darted out, running along my teeth. Sure enough, my canines were sharper, longer than they’d been before. They were long enough to press against my lower lip when I closed my mouth, a fact that I was somehow only just now noticing.

“Huh,” I said, opening and closing my mouth curiously. “That’s gonna make eating a lot more interesting.”

More importantly...

“This is going to be impossible to hide from my parents, isn’t it?” I sighed.

Miyo’s face tightened and the question hung in the air between us. She put a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently.

“We’ll cross that road when we get to it,” she said softly, “For now, we need to join the others. Now that you’re awake, Sona’s mother and father are certainly going to want to talk to you.”

My face fell at the mention. “Oh, goodie.”

Getting dressed was frustratingly difficult. Though I had come out of the other side alive, my body was still extremely sore and extremely stiff. My arms and legs felt like they were made of wood as I tried to force them through the shirt that had been laid out for me, and I thanked every god above and below that Miyo was here to help me.

Still, it was anything but easy, and by the time we were finished, I was breathing heavily, sweat beading on my forehead. Miyo put a steadying hand on my shoulder and I gave her a grateful look as I straightened.

“Alright,” I said, leaning against Miyo for support. “Let’s go meet the parents.”

The maid led us through the Sitri estate, and I tried my best not to gawk at everything we passed. The place was massive, all vaulted ceilings and elegant tapestries and priceless artwork that probably dated back centuries. It made my parents’ house look like a shoebox.

Eventually, we arrived at a private lounge, and the maid opened the door with a polite bow.

Inside, Aika and Mittelt were already present, seated on a plush couch across from Sona, who sat in a high-backed chair. Mittelt was wearing a simple, modest dress that covered her from neck to knee, and she looked absolutely miserable about it.

“This outfit is awful,” the Fallen Angel complained the moment we entered. “I feel like a nun. A boring nun.”

“I think it looks nice on you,” Aika responded, flipping through a book. “Better than the maid outfit, at least.”

Mittelt rolled her eyes. “Ugh, even that would be better than this. How can a family that’s been around for over a thousand years have taste this shit?”

Sona frowned deeply. “That dress was one of my grandmother’s favorites, actually.”

Mittelt opened her mouth to respond but then looked Sona up and down. “Yeah, that tracks.”

I opened my mouth to chime in, but before I could get a word out, a scent hit my nostrils. It was sweet and slightly musky, threading through the air like an invisible ribbon, and I turned automatically, zeroing in on the source.

“Mittelt...” I said slowly, making the Fallen look up at me with a bored look, “are you wearing anything under that?”

The question drew every eye in the room. Aika snorted from her place in the chair, while Mittelt’s lips curled into a smirk.

Sona sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “According to the maids, she refused to put any on.”

“What?” Mittelt shrugged, crossing her legs with deliberate slowness. “I’m a creature of Lust. If I can’t show off a little skin, then I’m sure as shit going to have a little private fun. It’s not like it’s hurting anybody.”

No, it wasn’t. But I could literally smell the Fallen Angel’s arousal, and it ignited a warm pool in my own gut. Mittelt was clearly turned on, the little exhibitionist, and she probably knew that I knew. She was deliberately teasing me, practically asking me to take her right here and now.

I wondered how she would react if I took her up on the offer. Stripped her down and plowed her into the coffee table until she was screaming my name so loud that even Sona’s parents could hear—

I blinked, the train of thought derailing violently like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on my head. What the hell was that?

I tuned back in and realized I was standing directly over Mittelt now, looming over her like a shadow. The Fallen’s eyebrows were raised as she stared up at me, but there was a flush to her cheeks, and the smell of her arousal was ten times stronger than before, as if she was moments away from dripping on the floor.

My own face heated up, and I stepped back quickly, noting that everyone in the room was staring at me.

“Sorry,” I said, clearing my throat. “I, uh... don’t know what that was.”

Sona stared at me for a moment longer, her expression unreadable, before she seemed to decide to let it go.

“Indeed,” she said. “Well, I am happy that you’re finally awake. I was admittedly worried there for a bit that you simply weren’t going to make it.”

I sank into an empty chair, grateful to be off my feet. My legs felt like they were made of jelly, trembling slightly from the short walk here.

“Thanks for the concern,” I said, forcing a weak grin. “Honestly, I was a little worried myself.”

Sona’s expression softened slightly. “You pushed yourself far beyond your limits. It was... reckless.”

“That’s one word for it,” Aika muttered from her spot on the couch. “Suicidal would be another.”

“I prefer determined,” I countered.

“You would,” Mittelt said dryly. The Fallen Angel shifted in her seat, the modest dress riding up slightly, and I immediately averted my eyes. The last thing I needed was another... episode.

Sona straightened in her chair, her composure returning. “Regardless, we have more pressing matters to discuss. My parents have been informed of the situation. They’ve agreed to meet with you. I will warn you right now, they can be a little… unconventional.”

“Ominous,” I said.

“It isn’t, necessarily. But you should understand that my family takes the safety of their household very seriously. The fact that you were the target of an attack on their territory...” she looked uncertain. “Well, at the very least, don’t expect them to be ecstatic that you’re here.”

The doors opened before I could respond, and two figures swept into the room, instantly commanding all attention.

Lord and Lady Sitri were everything I expected from Devil nobility and more. They were elegant, carrying an effortless poise that spoke of both money and age and dressed in finery that was probably as expensive as the entire room we were sitting in.

The resemblance was easily apparent. Sona’s face was a spitting image of her father’s, with the same sharp eyes and dark brows, though her eyes clearly came from her mother. Lady Sitri, on the other hand, bore a striking resemblance to her eldest. Her face was softer, her eyes more rounded, but there was an intelligence there that easily pierced through the geniality.

They radiated power, which made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and I had to fight the urge to bare my teeth.

“Mother, Father,” Sona said, rising from her chair with a respectful incline of her head. “This is—”

“We know who she is,” Lady Sitri said smoothly, her heavy gaze landing on me. “Naomi Kanei. The human-turned-dragon who nearly died fighting a stray Yokai.”

“Nearly died winning,” I couldn’t help but open my big mouth.

Lord Sitri’s eyes narrowed slightly at the interruption, but he said nothing. Instead, he moved to stand beside his wife, both of them regarding me with expressions of polite disdain.

“We are grateful that you survived,” Lady Sitri said, and she did sound sincere. “You saved our daughter’s life, and we have done everything in our power to return the favor. It is good to see that it was not in vain.”

“However,” Lord Sitri continued, his tone much more dangerous, “we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the facts. You are the reason Sona was in danger in the first place.”

Ah. Okay, yeah. I should have expected this.

“Based on what my daughter told me, your awakening has attracted the attention of a dangerous cult bent on retrieving your power for themselves. And from what they showcased just a few days ago, they are more than willing to go through any obstacle to do so,” the elder Sitri shook his head, “Kuoh was supposed to be a safe place for our daughter to come into her own. A place that would offer a few challenges and allow her to get her footing as both a King and the heiress of our house. Now, you have brought danger to our doorstep that even we would be hesitant to face.”

“Father—” Sona tried to interrupt, but her mother held up her hand.

“Your father is right, Sona,” the woman said coolly. “We have faith in your abilities, but this far exceeds anything we planned for you at this stage. Fighting an SS-Class Stray is well removed from the battles we expected you to face.”

“Indeed,” He clasped his hands behind his back, looking down at me coolly. “And that is why, it is our recommendation that you relocate. Somewhere more defensible, where you cannot be used as leverage against our daughter.”

My hackles rose immediately and my eyes narrowed dangerously at the notion.

“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice flat. “Could you repeat that?”

“You heard me clearly,” Lord Sitri said, unruffled. “Kuoh is the shared territory of the Sitri and the Gremory, and your presence there puts both of our houses at risk. It would be better for everyone if you were to—”

“No.”

The word came out sharper than I intended, and I saw Sona’s eyes widen slightly in shock as I interrupted her parents. Yet I didn’t care. The notion that this guy I had never met before thought he could just make me leave my home pissed me off like nothing else.

“Kuoh is my home,” I said, rising from my chair on unsteady legs. Miyo made a move to help me, but I waved her off. “I’ve lived there for my entire life and I intend to spend the rest of it the same way. I’m grateful for your help, but I’m not going to let anyone force me out of my home. Not the Cult, not a goddess, and certainly not you.”

Lord Sitri’s expression hardened. “You would endanger everyone you care about for the sake of your pride?”

“It’s not pride,” I snarled, anger bubbling freely inside my chest as I stood my ground. “Kuoh is mine, and I’m not going to leave it behind just because you said so.”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Both Lord and Lady Sitri were staring at me now, their expressions unreadable. Sona looked like she wanted to sink into her chair, while the others were watching the exchange with expressions ranging from worried to amused.

“I’m sorry that being friends with me puts Sona in danger,” I continued, looking them in the eyes. “Really, I am. If I could change that, I would. But I’m not going to abandon my home because it’s inconvenient for you.”

Silence stretched through the room as the two Devils processed my statement. Internally, I was screaming at myself for basically challenging two High-Class Devils while I was on my last legs power wise, but something inside of me refused to entertain what they were suggesting. I wasn’t going to leave my home with my tail tucked between my legs and that was that. There was nothing for it.

The tension between the three of us thickened, and then, to my complete surprise, Lady Sitri smiled.

“And there it is,” she murmured.

I blinked. “...What?”

Lord Sitri’s stern expression cracked, the corners of his mouth turning upward slightly. “You do have a spine. Good. We were concerned that our daughter had attached herself to someone who would roll over the moment things became difficult.”

I stared at them, completely nonplussed. “What?”

“Sona has told us of your situation,” Lady Sitri said, her earlier cold facade melting away into something approaching warmth. “A newly awakened Sacred Gear user, thrust into a world she barely understands, with enemies already circling. We expected someone... more malleable.”

“Instead, we find someone willing to stand up to a house of Sitri in our own home,” Lord Sitri added, and there was actual approval in his voice now. “Someone who claims territory and defends it, regardless of the odds. Perhaps there is hope for you yet.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it, completely at a loss for words. Were they... testing me?

Sona let out a long, weary sigh from her seat. “I did try to warn you that they were unconventional.”

“What?” I repeated weakly.

“My parents have always believed that strength of character matters more than station,” Sona explained, pinching the bridge of her nose. “They wanted to see how you would react under pressure.”

“And you passed,” Lord Sitri said with what I could only describe as satisfaction. “Barely, but you passed.”

“We are still unhappy that Sona was put in danger,” Lady Sitri added, her tone firming. “Do not mistake this for acceptance of the situation. But we are willing to... extend our support, for the time being.”

I sagged back into my chair. “You people are going to give me a heart attack.”

The doors swung open again before I could fully recover, and a whirlwind of pink burst into the room.

“Yay! You did it!” Serafall chirped, skipping over to where I sat. She clapped her hands together excitedly, beaming down at me. “I was worried for a second there that I’d have to come in and intervene when I felt that nasty power all the way out in the hall, but it looks like it’s all under control!”

I blinked up at her, confused. “Power? I didn’t feel anything.”

Serafall giggled, reaching out and booping me on the nose with one finger. “That’s because it was coming from you, silly!”

“I’m getting really tired of saying this but… what?”

“Your magic side is a little excitable right now,” she explained. “All that power you took in during your fight had effects on more than just your body, you know! Your soul is still adjusting to the changes too.”

I stared at her, processing her words. “Okay... and what does that mean, exactly?”

“It means that your instincts are going to be a little wonky for a while,” Serafall said. “You might feel more aggressive, more territorial. Your senses are going to be heightened beyond what you’re used to. And, well, it’s gonna be harder to be the normal you, basically,” she said, glancing meaningfully at my scaled arms.

“As well, returning to Kuoh in your current state would be inadvisable,” Lord Sitri said. “Questions would be raised that you cannot answer without exposing them to a world they are not prepared for.”

Great. Just great. I ran a hand through my longer hair, feeling the unfamiliar weight of it against my back.

“So what? I’m supposed to just stay here until I figure out how to look human again?”

“Not just your appearance,” Serafall said, settling into the chair beside me. “Like I said, your soul is still working through all the changes. It’s like plugging a modern day operating system into a computer from the nineties; there’s gonna be a few bugs to sort out.”

As I tried to decide whether or not it made sense that a centuries-old Devil King would know about modern day electronics, Serafall leaned in, her violet eyes sparkling. “You need to learn control before you can safely reintegrate into the human world. Otherwise, you might accidentally set something on fire or try to claim the local supermarket as your territory.”

“I wouldn’t–”

“You literally just tried to claim an entire city in front of two of the four extremely influential Devils who already own it,” Miyo pointed out mildly from behind me.

I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it. She had a point.

“The good news is, I know a few people who might be able to help,” Serafall continued, tapping a finger against her chin. “Being the Satan in charge of foreign affairs comes with a few perks, and I’m willing to bend a few rules to help So-tan’s little friend get back on her feet.”

“Sister!”

“Who?” I asked, ignoring the girl’s outburst.

Serafall grinned. “Leave that to me. For now, just focus on resting and recovering. You’re going to need your strength.”

With one final wink, she skipped out of the room. I slumped back in my chair, the weight of the situation finally settling over me. I was stuck in the Underworld, my body was so messed up that my soul was on the fritz, and I had no idea when I’d be able to go home.

At least I’m alive, I thought wearily.

Though depending on how long I stayed, my mom might change that when I got home.