Chapter 24: The Nun's Affection Level is Maxed Out (Patreon)

Returning to the present, the battle within the church had drawn to a close.

Black feathers, remnants of fallen wings, drifted down like dark blossoms.

Beneath the moonlight, Asia, her nun's veil now gone, lay dazedly in the young man's arms, her mind still reeling from the rapid succession of events.

Until Hanakain Fubuki's voice sounded from above her.

"Come back to us. You're safe now."

"Ngh..."

As if her consciousness snapped back from some distant place, the young nun gave a slight shudder, her gaze regaining clarity. She glanced around, finally registering her current predicament – namely, being held in his arms.

Her fair complexion instantly flushed crimson, like an overheating kettle, imaginary steam seeming to hiss from the top of her head.

"S-s-s-s-sorry! Also... um, thank you Mister Hanakain for saving me..."

Asia scrambled out of his arms in a fluster, a flurry of bows mixing apologies and gratitude.

Just then, Rias and Akeno entered through the ruined doorway, joining Hanakain Fubuki and Koneko in observing the blonde nun with curiosity.

Although the Devils and Angels had practically torn each other apart during the Great War between the Three Factions, they had since maintained a tense truce where each side generally kept strictly to their own affairs. But that was the overarching political situation.

On an individual level, however, there wasn't necessarily deep-seated animosity between members of opposing factions. Certainly not to the point where meeting automatically meant a fight to the death. Instances where encounters immediately devolved into bloodshed usually involved fanatics like that Stray Priest, Freed.

"This girl..." After scrutinizing her for a moment, recognition dawned on Rias's face. "Could she be the nun you mentioned meeting this morning, Fubuki?" she asked, slightly surprised.

"Mm, yeah."

Hanakain Fubuki scooped up the fallen nun's veil from the floor, turned, and casually waved it toward the three Devil girls behind him.

"This morning, I just picked it up like this, and then..."

No, no, no!

Seeing the young man holding the consecrated cloth—Asia's veil—and starting to bring it closer, the three girls instinctively recoiled in unison, plastering on polite but wary smiles.

That was a piece of a nun's habit, blessed by Holy Light. To a low-class Devil, getting smacked with that would feel like getting zapped by an industrial-strength bug zapper. While it wouldn't cause substantial harm to a pure-blooded Devil like Rias, it was still intensely unpleasant – roughly equivalent to forcing someone who loathes durian fruit to get a durian facial.

Therefore, Fubuki waving the consecrated cloth around, from the girls' perspective, was basically like someone gleefully digging up a handful of... crap... and trying to shove it in their faces for a closer look.

It was just... how should one put it?

Intensely awkward on multiple levels.

"I'm sorry..."

Asia's voice was soft, barely audible. She lowered her head, hands clasped tightly before her chest.

"This morning... I lied to Mister Hanakain. I am no longer a nun. Asia is... a heretical nun."

"Huh?"

Heretical nun?

Hearing the term for the first time, Hanakain Fubuki was momentarily baffled. He knew about Stray Devils and Stray Priests – but those designations typically applied to beings with combat abilities who had forsaken their original allegiances and actively caused harm.

Nuns, on the other hand... generally weren't combatants, were they? How 'heretical' could a nun become? It wasn't like this was Warhammer, after all.

"Yes." Asia nodded softly and continued her explanation.

"I've been an orphan since I was very young, abandoned by my parents and raised by the Church. Because I had the ability to heal humans and angels, the Church recognized me as a Saint. But then... purely by accident, I discovered my healing power worked on Devils too..."

As she spoke, she extended her hands, palms up. A soft green luminescence glowed from them, and simultaneously, a delicate ring materialized on the middle finger of each hand.

"Is that... the Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing?" Rias exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the paired rings. "That explains it, then. Sacred Gears themselves have no inherent factional alignment. Angels, humans, Devils, Fallen Angels – anyone might possess and wield one. And their effects naturally apply across all factional lines."

"I understand that... but some things can't be easily explained away." A shadow crossed Asia's usually gentle, healing smile, replaced by a hint of bitterness.

"That's why I came here, all the way from Northern Europe to Japan, hoping to find a remote church, unnoticed by the main Church, where I could continue my service. Even Raynare told me... she said the people here were believers abandoned by God, but if we passed the trials He set for us, we could earn our way back into His embrace."

"And you actually believed that load of crap?" Hanakain Fubuki shrugged.

"If God was really paying attention," Fubuki continued, "He would have stopped that maniac priest from slaughtering civilians. He would have cleared your name when you were branded a heretic, Asia. And He definitely wouldn't have let Fallen Angels nearly steal your Sacred Gear. Honestly, with a useless God like that, you're better off putting your faith in me."

"Yes! That's exactly what I think too!"

The young nun nodded vigorously, tilted her face up, and stepped forward until she was almost pressed against him, declaring firmly.

Eh?

Now it was Hanakain Fubuki's turn to be confused.

Hold on, what did the little nun just say?

He thought he must have misheard, but Asia was still talking, her voice earnest and clear.

"When the Fallen Angels took me, I prayed for Mister Hanakain to save me, and Mister Hanakain really came! So, from now on, Asia belongs to the Hanakain family... No! Asia is Mister Fubuki's faithful believer, and his alone!"

She still used 'Mister,' but she'd switched from his family name, Hanakain, to saying 'Fubuki' repeatedly.

"Ara ara~"

Behind them, Akeno Himejima murmured her signature phrase, one hand touching her cheek.

Beside her, Rias pressed a hand to her forehead with a weary sigh.

"Honestly... going this far for someone she just met this morning, someone she's known for barely a few minutes total..."

"Is the President perhaps jealous?" the tall, black-haired girl with the high ponytail suddenly tilted her head and interjected teasingly.

The comment made Rias freeze for a second before becoming visibly flustered. "Wh-? No... Of course not! Akeno, what are you talking about!"

"Fufufu~ Just teasing," Akeno chuckled, covering her mouth lightly, partially concealing an expression she didn't quite want seen.

Well... how to put it... Truthfully... she felt a small pang of jealousy herself.

"Don't worry," Koneko stated flatly, gazing forward. "If President Rias or Senpai Akeno were in danger, Senpai Fubuki would rescue them just the same."

"Eh?"

"Er..."

The playful banter between the two older girls ceased instantly. Though Akeno had claimed she was joking just moments before, both instinctively turned their gazes towards the young man ahead.

Sensing their stares, Hanakain Fubuki glanced back at them.

"Right, Senpai Fubuki?" Koneko added pointedly.

"Mm, of course." Fubuki paused for thought before adding, "That includes you too, Koneko."

"Ngh... Even if Senpai Fubuki says so, it doesn't make me happy. (She blushed slightly)."