The Meaning of the Broken Card

The next day, Barbatos has returned to RAD and resumed his studies. He acted accordingly like the perfect demon butler that he is like nothing ever happened. He caught up with his studies immediately since he was only gone for a day and he aced this day's tests and quizzes with ease. Everything seemed normal like he never missed yesterday's classes at all. He focused on his studies, finding this a good distraction from yesterday's disappointment and embarrassment.

After Diavolo left, Barbatos took his time climbing up the steps towards the top of the staircase where the last, unopened door stood. As he climbed step by step, countless thoughts came rushing through his mind.

Step.

Will he see what he desires?

Step.

Will it be the right door?

Step.

Will he finally have the girl of his dreams?

Step.

Or will he face his worst fear? That he will never acquire love from the girl he desires?

He shook the last thought away as he reached the top of the staircase and faced the unopened door.

"Do not get too disappointed if the time you desire did not come for you."

Diavolo's words echoed in his ears as he placed a hand on the door knob and pushed it open.

The school bell rang, signaling the beginning of lunch time.

Barbatos packed up his stuff and went out of the classroom. He was supposed to be having lunch with Diavolo as usual during these hours, but Diavolo is not in RAD this day because of some urgent business. Thus, he will have lunch on his own. Fitting, though, because he would like to be alone for the time being.

As he calmly walked down the staircase towards the RAD Cafeteria, he heard a few shouts from behind him and he immediately went out of the way. Mammon and Belphegor came running down the stairs towards the cafeteria.

"Looks like yakisoba bread is being served today," Barbatos thought.

Lucifer's voice boomed from the top of the stairs calling out his brothers, but the Mammon and Belphegor did not pay attention.

Barbatos opened up his locker and placed his bag there. When he locked it, he saw Leviathan hastily tapping on his D.D.D. in front of his own locker across the hall.

"Games," he thought.

Near Leviathan, Barbatos caught a glimpse of Asmodeus looking at the top to bottom mirror inside his own locker. He always sees Asmodeus in this situation before the narcissist demon heads off to lunch.

Soon, Barbatos arrived at the RAD Cafeteria. The place is already buzzing with life as students stood in the lunch line and picked out their lunches.

As Barbatos stood in the lunch line, he looked around and saw Satan and Beelzebub sitting in the long table that is reserved for them and their brothers. While Satan is busy reading his book while munching on his fried lizards, Beelzebub is already wolfing down his own meal.

Not too long after that, Barbatos has already ordered his own meal and sat alone in his usual seat in the cafeteria.

Barbatos munched on lazily on his sandwich when a girl came up to him.

"Hello, Barbatos," the girl greeted.

Barbatos looked up and saw the her holding her own tray of food. Barbatos smiled and greeted her and offered her the seat in front of him to which she gladly took.

The girl started eating her pizza and drinking soda while Barbatos looked at the girl with a sad expression.

"The girl that is near me, yet too far from my reach," he reminded himself.

The girl swallowed the food in her mouth and looked up at Barbatos. He immediately turned his frown upside down to not show her his true emotions. He didn't want to worry her, much less tell her about yesterday.

"Barbatos, remember that card you gave me yesterday?" she asked.

"Oh! Yes. What about it?" Barbatos asked.

Yesterday, before the girl left after her cooking lessons with Barbatos, the butler gave her a card just like the ones she owned already. She insisted on going back to the House of Lamentation alone so, Barbatos did this. The girl has a set of cards that was given to her to protect herself from demons who might attack her just in case the elites are not around. Each card has a borrowed power from the demon painted on its surface. This time, Barbatos gave her one of his own.

"Is there something wrong about the card?" Barbatos asked.

"None at all," the girl reassured him. "But, I do have a question about it."

"What is it?" Barbatos asked.

"Yesterday, a few demons attacked me on the way to the House of Lamentation and I tried using the card you gave me," she started. "I am still new to using it, so I lost in the battle when I used it."

"Did the demons hurt you?" Barbatos asked worriedly.

"No. Hehe. I managed to win at the second battle," the girl said which gave Barbatos relief. The girl continued. "Anyway, you know that when I use a card, a tiny figure of whoever is painted on the card will appear for the battle, right?"

"Yes," Barbatos answered, unsure of where this conversation is going.

"Well, I noticed that when I lost using that card that you gave me, your tiny figure did not show anger, sadness, or disappointment like the other figures in the other cards that I got. It is my first card of yours and it really took my attention," she said. "Your figure turned to grayish blue. It is standing straight with a smile formed on its face. But it's body... it is like it turned to glass and a hammer took a blow on it. It got cracked. What is up with that? Is there any hidden meaning of it?"

Barbatos stayed silent for a moment. He knew the answer to this, but doesn't know whether he should tell her the secret to it or not.

Just when he was about to finally tell her, Mammon came up to their table.

"Why are you seated here? This is Diavolo's seat!" He said worriedly. "If Lucifer sees you-"

"Excuse me, Mammon, but you should not fear Lucifer in this situation," Barbatos cut in. It is not the usual him to cut between someone else's sentences, but he is the midst of a serious talk before Mammon swooped in. "Diavolo is not in RAD today. He is on an urgent business as we speak."

"Ah... is that so?" Mammon mumbled.

Barbatos smiled with a nod. "Now if you excuse us. We are in the middle of a-"

"HEY!" someone shouted not too far away from them.

The three turned to see Leviathan, the avatar of envy and one of Mammon's younger brothers, caught their attention.

"Mammon! Come on over here! You, too!" He shouted, meaning the girl Barbatos was talking to. "You need my help with a subject, right?"

"Oh shoot!" The girl said as he hurriedly got up and gave Barbatos an apologetic look.

"I am really sorry, Barbatos. There's this test coming up soon and I need Levi's help with it," she said as she completely left with Mammon and went to the other table with the rest of Mammon's siblings, leaving Barbatos all alone in his table again.

Barbatos wanted to tell her, and he thought right there and then that he was ready.

But it turns out that fate doesn't want him to tell.

It doesn't want him to tell her the secret of the card.

It doesn't want him to tell her that the card projects my feelings.

When the card is defeated in a battle, it shows Barbatos's feelings when he is feeling defeated.

Exactly how he feels about being in a relationship with her.

Barbatos smiles amidst his defeat, accepting it whole. He accepts the pain with a smile no matter how hard it may hit him until it finally cracks him deep inside like a glass that has been hit hard. He does it so that no one would waste their time on him.

"I am afraid that I would just waste their time," Barbatos thought as he took another bite of his lunch.