High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

Chapter 289: Chapter 279: Memories of Childhood Days

Late into the night, the same day Touji-san visited the Hyoudou household.

Tonight, unusually, I was sleeping with Alice.

Miu was holed up in her room, reading a novel she’d received as payment for a request, so she wasn’t around.

...Looks like Miu’s collection just grew again.

”...Issei, the baby... smiled...”

Alice murmured in her sleep, using me as a body pillow.

My baby, huh...

Well, Alice and I did, in fact, go without contraceptives, so the possibility certainly exists.

I wonder if it’s a boy or a girl in Alice’s dream.

Either is fine by me.

They’d be cute, no matter what.

Even so... Alice in her cat pajamas is just adorable!

Initially, she was embarrassed by the cat pajamas, but it seems they’re surprisingly comfortable, and now they’ve become one of Alice’s favorites.

Her sleeping face, snuggled up to me like a white cat, looked incredibly happy.

When I stroked her head, she hugged me even tighter.

”...Lunch box... I’ll make it again... I’ll try my best... so eat a lot...”

She said something like that!

Honestly... I was so happy, and she was so cute, and I felt so healed!

I’m really looking forward to Alice’s lunch box!

No, making it together again might be a good idea too. Even if we weren’t very good, cooking together like that was fun.

As I pondered this, stroking Alice’s golden hair, I sensed a presence entering the room.

Turning my gaze towards the presence, I saw Xenovia in her nightclothes.

Noticing that I’d noticed her arrival, Xenovia put a finger to her lips, motioning for me to be quiet.

(What’s up, this late at night? Can’t you sleep?)

I asked in a low voice, careful not to wake Alice.

(No, it’s not that. ...Is Alice asleep?)

(As you can see.)

I pointed to the deeply sleeping Alice. She was breathing peacefully, her face serene and happy.

(...Indeed, she’s sound asleep.)

(So, what is it? You have something for me, right?)

When I asked, Xenovia nodded.

(Come with me, there’s something I want to show you.)

(Something you want to show me?)

At her words, I got out of bed with the utmost care, making sure not to wake Alice.

When I moved away, her sleeping face looked a little uneasy, so I stroked her cheek, and she immediately settled back into a peaceful sleep.

...I wanted to give her a kiss on the cheek... but doing that in front of someone else would be too embarrassing, so I held back. I’d do it when I got back.

Leaving the room, we arrived in front of Xenovia’s own room on the upper floor.

...Xenovia’s room, late at night, huh.

Is it that?

Like, I’ll enter the room and Xenovia will push me down?

It was just a random thought, but it seemed highly probable.

”Come on, Issei. Open it.”

”Me?”

Xenovia said something peculiar, asking me to open her own room.

When I asked again, Xenovia nodded.

Still not quite grasping it, I followed her instruction, turned the doorknob, and opened the door.

And then―――――

What greeted me wasn’t Xenovia’s room, but that baby-making room!

”Hey, wait, this is...”

Before I could finish, I was pushed from behind and stumbled into the room!

At the same time, the door clicked shut!

I tried to turn the doorknob, but for some reason, it wouldn’t budge, and I couldn’t open it.

...That scoundrel, she locked me in.

Alright, a punishment is in order later. I’ll torment her endlessly later... Heh heh heh. I can already picture Xenovia on the verge of tears.

―――――To think such thoughts... I really am an S, aren’t I?

The fruits of Ignis’s education... tragically.

Was I always this kind of character...?

Well, for now―――――

”Xenovia, you’re getting punished later, got it? Be prepared!”

”If it’s Issei, then it’s fine, yeah. Torment me all you want.”

”...Is it just my imagination, or does her voice sound happy?”

”I-It’s your imagination... A-Anyway, your company is waiting, Issei.”

...My company is waiting?

Feeling puzzled, I turned around to look―――――.

”...Good evening, Issei-kun.”

There was Irina, with her hair down and wearing a nightgown!

Shyly fidgeting, Irina spoke with her head slightly bowed.

”U-Um... well, you see...”

Irina seemed nervous, her feet shuffling, as she sat on the edge of the bed.

”...Come here, won’t you? Let’s talk for a bit?”

”Eh... Ah, yeah.”

I sat beside Irina, as prompted.

I sat down, but...

”...”

”...”

Irina and I were silent.

Even if we wanted to talk, where should we even begin...?

First, what was Xenovia’s intention in bringing me here?

What was the meaning of Irina being here?

These two things were clear. They were so straightforward it was a little perplexing...

...I never thought they’d use the thing I was introduced to so quickly...

This isn’t even a ”yesterday to today” level.

Looking at Irina beside me, I could clearly see her nervousness. In fact, it was written all over her face.

But, Irina in a nightgown, huh...

Irina, who usually wore pajamas, was now in a nightgown.

And it was transparent.

Irina wasn’t wearing a bra, so I could see everything, even the very tips...

Yeah, she really does have perfectly shaped breasts! As a warrior, the parts that should be firm are firm, and the parts that should be prominent are definitely prominent...

This is... it’s getting me energized!

But what’s needed now is conversation. I can’t just push her down in this atmosphere.

Some topic of conversation―――――.

...That’s right, that.

”I remembered the promise we made on Christmas when we were kids.”

Hearing that, Irina turned her face towards me, as if forgetting her bashfulness.

”―――――We’d defeat Santa Claus together, and split the presents between us! Right?”

”You remembered! I thought I was the only one who remembered, and Issei-kun had forgotten.”

Irina beamed with a full smile. She was so happy that I remembered, her eyes were glistening.

I said with a wry smile,

”No, I’d forgotten. But as I was helping Irina and everyone with Christmas preparations, it sort of came back to me.”

”Is that so. Still, I’m happy you remembered.”

Irina chuckled at the memory.

”When we were little, we were so innocent, or rather... we’d often come up with reckless ideas. Back then, I really enjoyed playing and thinking like a boy with Issei-kun.”

”We used to go play in the forest at the park on the outskirts of town, right? With our bug nets.”

”Yeah. We’d ride our bikes far away together.”

”’Far away’ was just the next town, though. We were just kids back then.”

”But it felt like we went to another world, and it was fun, wasn’t it?”

”It was. We really used to play together a lot back then. Since we were the same age and lived nearby, it felt like we did everything together.”

I’d forgotten until we reconnected, but now that we were talking, memories came flooding back one after another. We went to the candy store together, played hero, and spent Christmas together.

We even challenged reckless things. The times Mom got angry at us as a result are now nostalgic memories.

Then, Irina whispered softly.

”...Now, Issei-kun is three years older than me, right?”

”Ah... Well, that’s... something that can’t be helped, I guess. But legally, I’m the same age as Irina, you know?”

Legally.

Even for me, being twenty and still in high school is enough to make me want to cry...

Irina let out a small, soft laugh and looked up at the ceiling.

”After I parted with Issei-kun, I became a warrior of the church. I was happy to serve the Lord, but I felt a little lonely, thinking I’d become a person from a different world than Issei-kun.”

Irina received her training as a church warrior after she separated from me and went to England. While Irina was being trained as a warrior, I think I was just going to school and playing with friends.

Well, that was until the summer of my third year of junior high.

”But Issei-kun was doing even more amazing things than me. I never imagined you’d gone to another world and been called a hero there. Honestly, it was more surprising than you being reincarnated as a devil.”

”Well... yeah.”

Even now, there are times I wonder why I was sent to another world.

This isn’t about regret or cursing fate, it’s just a simple question.

Why was I swallowed by the vortex at that time?

And why did the vortex appear in my room in the first place?

Was it a coincidence, or destiny?

Even if I think about it, there’s no answer, but sometimes I can’t help but ponder it.

”...While I was gone, you even got a cute little sister like Miu-san. And you forcefully brought Alice-san along too.”

”I didn’t force her! I got her consent, remember!?”

”If you invite someone like that, no one can refuse.”

...I-Is that so?

Irina smiled.

”Miu-san and Alice-san. They’re both such good people, aren’t they? Even though they’re both princesses, they’re so approachable and friendly, even to someone ordinary like me.”

”Those two are princesses in title, but not in spirit,” I replied with a wry smile.

Miu is quiet and affectionate, and Alice is a free-spirited tomboy.

”You know, everyone often asks me.”

”About what?”

”About Issei-kun’s childhood.”

”Oh, right. You’re the only one who shares those childhood memories with me.”

Miu and Alice have been with me for a long time, but they don’t know about my childhood. They’ve probably seen photo albums and heard stories from Mom, but they shouldn’t know anything beyond that.

Irina nodded.

”Yeah. I thought maybe they were envious because I was the only one who knew about Issei-kun’s childhood. And because of that, I started talking more with people other than Xenovia and Asia-san. I became friends with everyone. ...But you know.”

Irina looked down, her cheeks flushing even deeper.

”Every time I talked about Issei-kun’s childhood... inside me, I started thinking, ’I don’t want to talk about this anymore,’ ’I wanted to keep this memory just for myself.’”

Irina leaned closer to me. She closed the small gap between us, pressing her body against mine.

”Ah, I see, I’d unknowingly―――――”

Irina took my hand and―――――guided it to her chest! My five fingers sank into Irina’s soft, bouncy breasts!

Irina’s bouncy breasts! This sensation, plus the smoothness!

Is this what angel breasts feel like?!

Irina’s eyes were glistening, and she wore a sensual expression. To see the usually innocent and cheerful Irina make such a face...

”...Even if I do this, my wings aren’t flickering.”

As Irina said, her wings remained pure white! Usually, they’d be flickering black and white by now!

Is this room really a safe place for angels to make babies?!

As I was having such thoughts, Irina pushed me down!

Irina leaned over me as I lay sprawled on the bed. Her long chestnut hair fell across my face, and the scent of shampoo wafted around us.

With a pained expression, Irina whispered,

”Here, I can do something naughty with Issei-kun...”

Irina’s face slowly drew closer. I too was drawn in, bringing my face closer.

Our lips were about to touch―――――.

Just then, a rattling sound came from the door.

I glanced over and saw multiple pairs of curious eyes peeking through the crack in the door!

”...Irina, you’ve grown so much... it’s enough to bring tears to my eyes...!”

”...Irina-san truly is...!”

It was Xenovia and Asia!

”...This room is utterly scandalous.”

”You say that, but Shirone is watching intently, nya.”

The cat sisters, Koneko-chan and Kuroka!

”...Hmm, I guess it would come to this, wouldn’t it...”

The Crimson-Haired Queen, Rias!

”...Perhaps I should make my move soon too. But if I’m to be embraced by Issei-kun, it must be there... Ufufu.”

Akeno!? Where is there?!

”...W-What should I do as a teacher...!?”

”W-We should just watch over them, I believe...!”

Rossweisse and Ravel!

You absolutely do not need to watch over us!

”Hey, hey, hey! What are you peeking at?!”

”Exactly! W-We were almost thereeee!”

”””No, please continue without minding us.”””

””How can we continueeeeee?!””

Irina and I, childhood friends, shouted a double retort that echoed through the room!

We both sighed dramatically, our shoulders slumping in defeat.

Ahhh... what a mess.

The atmosphere was so good, and now...

Irina said with a wry smile,

”The mood’s broken, hasn’t it...”

”Yeah, this is really...”

My heart isn’t big enough to continue in this atmosphere...

No, I don’t think anyone would continue, not just me.

”I can do it. If we’re going to do it, I’ll take on everyone here at once―――――”

As if! What do you take me for, you useless goddess!

After this, a tour of the baby-making room was conducted.

It was then I learned that the room was equipped with a bathroom and a refrigerator, and the bed even rotated. What’s more, the bedside lamps emitted seven-colored lights.

Michael-san... you’ve invested too much unnecessary technology.

▽

By the way...

After the tour, I returned to my room, but the moment I entered, I froze.

Because I saw something.

What I saw was――――――.

”...Ehehe...”

A smirking Alice. She was still sound asleep, just as she was before I left the room.

She was sound asleep, but... not on the bed.

Alice was sleeping―――――on the floor.

A white cat was rolling around on the floor.

...She must have fallen off the bed.

I wonder what kind of dream she’s having to roll around this much.

Alice, rolling on the floor, gradually approached the room’s entrance―――――towards me!

Seriously, what kind of dream is she having?! Alice’s sleeping habits are terrible today, aren’t they?!

I sighed at her terribly bad sleeping habits, but then I felt a soft sensation on my leg.

Looking down, I saw Alice, who had rolled over, was clinging to my leg.

”...I got caught by Issei...”

I’m the one who’s caught here, aren’t I?!

She’s got a firm hold on me, doesn’t she?!

”...What a handful.”

I picked up Alice, who was clinging to my leg, and carried her back to the bed.

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