Chapter 32: Sona's Confession

"... Nervous?"

Lucias asked as he gazed at the devils sitting down on the sofa of the clubroom.

"N-Not really"

Issei answered with a trembling voice as he held his phone in extreme nervousness while reading the contents of the message that he got from Sandra.

"*Sigh* Issei let's talk"

Lucias said before walking out of the room, glancing back at Issei who was nervously sitting on the sofa, signalling for him to follow him out of the clubroom.

"..."

Issei who saw him walk out of the room, hesitatingly followed him out while holding a piece of paper in his arms with a large frown visible in his face.

"W-what is it, Lucias-sama?"

Issei asked as soon as he arrived out of the clubroom causing the door behind him to tightly shut close as a Sound Nullification barrier covered the two of them.

"What's bugging you, Issei?"

Lucias asked as he leaned back against the wooden wall while closing his eyes, fully knowing the effects brought by their nervousness.

'If they don't stop being so stiff and nervous, the chances of them losing this rating game will significantly decrease'

Lucias thought before staring at Issei, waiting for him to answer his question to try and calm him down.

"T-That's..."

"Tell me, Issei. I might be able to help you if its something within my power"

Lucias cut him off as he crossed his arms on his chest with a light frown visible on his face.

"A-Are you sure you can help me, Lucias-sama?"

"It depends on your request"

Lucias answered causing Issei to look at him with hesitation written in his face.

"... S-Sandra-chan... told me that i-if I lose... she will never meet with me again..."

Issei confessed as he held the paper in his chest.

"..."

'Did he... for him to actually fall in love with a girl...'

Lucias thought before sighing with a tired expression on his face as he gazed at Issei with pity visible in his eyes.

'I told her not to play with him yesterday... but I guess she doesn't want for the people that I personally trained myself to lose'

Lucias thought as he walked closer to Issei, patting his shoulders before taking out a single gem stone out of his body, causing Issei to kneel on the ground from the severe pressure coming from the rune.

"Thanks for letting me borrow this Issei, I'll return this to you since... you'll be needing it for this match"

Lucias said before dropping the rune on his back, causing the rune to slowly enter his body, amplifying the mana capacity in his body by several folds.

"How about this... I'll let her live with you if you win this rating game"

Lucias stated causing him to immediately look up to him with a hopeful expression on his face as he gripped his arm in worship.

"LUCIAS-SAMA, I LOVE YOU!!!"

"... It feels disgusting when its coming from you, Hyoudo Issei"

Lucias said before pushing his body away with his right foot pressed against his face.

"I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS DEBT, LUCIAS-SAMA!!"

[Partner...]

"... Let's see how long will you survive, Hyoudo Issei"

Lucias whispered to himself causing Ddraig to tremble in fear from the seriousness contained in his voice while Issei titled his head in confusion from not being able to hear his words.

"Huh?"

"Nothing"

Lucias smacked the top of his head with a large grin on his face, seeing him calm down from his initial nervousness before stepping on his left arm.

"I know you heard me Ddraig, if you say anything to him, I'll pull your soul out of that gauntlet and rip it to pieces, are we clear?"

[Y-Yes your m-majesty]

"Good"

Lucias said as he gently smiled at the two of them before kicking Issei back to his feet.

"Lucias-sama I'll do my best!!"

Issei shouted in excitement before entering the clubroom with a joyful smile on his face.

"What happened?"

Rias asked in confusion, seeing the sudden change of his mood as soon as he came back inside the room.

"I just motivated him, that's all"

Lucias answered as soon as he entered the clubroom.

"YOU motivated him?"

"What? I don't want the people that I taught myself losing to this match"

Lucias said as he sat down on the sofa next to Koneko who was munching on a cookie he bought outside for her to relax herself for the upcoming match.

"Ara Ara then can you motivate me too, Lucias?"

Akeno teased while holding her cheek with her right hand, causing Lucias to gaze at her with a serious expression on his face.

"Sure, if you win, I'll fulfill one of your request"

Lucias said causing the nekoshou beside him to drop the cookie in her hands as she stared at him while tugging his sleeves.

"... Sure... I'll grant one of your request as well, Koneko"

Lucias sighed in defeat before patting her head with a tired smile on his face while Rias stared at both of her servants with envy.

"Ahem... How about me?"

"... Uh... Sure, I guess?"

Lucias answered with a complicated expression on his face.

"... wait, really!?"

Rias asked in surprised, expecting him to reject her immediately.

"Yeah... as long as it doesn't cross the line, then sure"

Lucias assured before standing up from the sofa and walking towards her direction while taking out a bracelet out of his pockets.

"Take this bracelet, it will temporarily amplify your magic and strength for 2 hours once every two weeks. This is to show my gratitude to you, Rias"

Lucias said before placing the bracelets in her hand with a light smile visible on his face.

"Gratitude?"

Rias asked in confusion while holding the bracelet decorated with blood red markings and a single ruby in the middle.

"You'll know in the future Rias, but now is not the time for you to know"

Lucias mysteriously smiled while glancing at both Akeno and Koneko who was staring at him with the same confused expression as Rias who was standing in front of him.

'Even though you're an irresponsible and reckless woman, you still took care of the two of them so... I have to at least show a bit of my gratitude to you'

Lucias thought as Sona along with her entire peerage entered the clubroom with a nonchalantly expression on their faces.

"Huh? Who are you?"

A young man with short blond hair and grey eyes asked as soon as his sight landed on Lucias who sat back down on the sofa.

"Saji, don't be rude"

Sona ordered as she walked in front of him with a light frown on her face while staring at him with a complicated expression on her face, not knowing how will she bring up the topic of their engagement.

"But Kaichou-"

"You!! Don't be rude to Lucias-sama!"

Issei angrily shouted as he walked in front of him with a sharp expression on his face from the constant hardship and training that he has gone through for the past 10 days.

"W-What?"

Saji asked in bewilderment from feeling the incredible change in both his magic and aura surrounding his body causing Sona to fix the glasses on her face as she gazed at Lucias who was watching them in amusement.

"Lucias, can I have a bit of your time after this?"

Sona asked while crossing her arms causing Saji to look at his king in both shock as anxiety drowned his heart from both fear and panic, judging by the light blush visible on her cheeks.

"Sure, it's been a while since we last saw each other but... for you to ask me directly... Is it a serious matter, Sona?"

"I-it's not that serious... I-It just concerns our future"

"Kaichou!?"

Saji shouted as fear gripped his heart while looking at Sona who was trying her best to keep her straight face while conversing with Lucias.

"... If you phrase it like that, you make it sound like were about to be engaged to each other"

Lucias teased with a light grin on his face, expecting for her to retort his words.

"..."

Sona stayed silent as her cheeks blushed crimson red while shyly averting her eyes with a slightly irritated expression on her face.

'She can't be serious right?'

Lucias asked himself before searching through her memory to find out the truth of the matter, but froze in his place from what he found out from her memories.

'They're going to kill me...'

Lucias thought as he shivered in fear remembering the last time he bought Yasaka back to the faction to introduce her to the other girls 5 years ago.

"Lucias... I will visit you later together with Yasaka, Hanna and her little sister, Kunou. I'll bring back gifts for all of the girls, I wonder what should I buy?"

"Kunuo! Let's play!" (Hanna)

"O-Onee-chan" (Kunou)

"Be careful, and don't go too far alright?" (Yasaka)

"Lucias, are you listening?"

The 'creator' asked while ignoring the lustful gazes directed at both her and Yasaka from the men around the streets of Kyoto.

"Y-Yeah... Just buy them any souvenir or snacks, I'm sure they'll be happy to receive it"

"I see then, we will meet you later at night, Lucias. We still have a few things to prepare so I'll be leaving first"

The 'creator' said before cutting the connection between their mind, leaving Lucias dazedly staring at the ceiling of the room with a conflicted expression on his face.

"... What's wrong?"

Koneko asked while tugging his shirt with concern visible in her eyes.

"Nothing... Sona can you follow me out of the room for a minute?"

Lucias asked before standing up from the sofa, causing Sona to unconsciously nod her head as she followed him from behind after giving Saji a glare, ordering to stay put and not interfere with their conversation.

"What's wrong with them?" (Rias)

-with Lucias and Sona-

"... Sona... We need to talk about this engagement of yours"

Lucias said as soon as he erected a sound nullification barrier around their location to avoid anyone from eavesdropping their conversation.

"You knew..."

Sona said as she clenched her fist as tightly as she could to lessen the nervousness and anxiety that she felt.

"Yes..."

"T-Then... what are your opinions about it?"

Sona asked causing Lucias to scratch the back of his head with a guilty expression on his face.

"Sona... I'm sorry but... this relationship will not work out between us..."

"..."

"I know that you're only doing this because you lost to me in a chess match but, you could've just told me and-"

"It's not like that..."

Sona whispered in a pained voice, bowing her head as her mind was devoured by the foreign feeling of desperation, sadness, and anxiety that even she was not aware of until she heard his rejection.

"Sona?"

Lucias asked in concern as he walked closer to her, seeing small droplets of tears fall down the cold floor of the ground.

"It's not like that... you don't even know how I felt but your running your mouth like you know how I feel"

"Sona"

"If you don't like me then just say it"

"Sona wait"

"I'm sorry... for falling in love with you"

"Sona!"

Lucias shouted before hugging her body in his embrace causing her to struggle as she tried to get out of his hug.

"Let go of me!"

Sona shouted in a tearful voice while hitting his chest with trembling arms.

"Sona, calm down"

"I hate you! Don't touch me!"

Sona struggled to break free from his embrace as tears ran her cheeks causing his guilt to grip his heart.

"Let go!!"

Sona shouted as she tried to glare at him but was caught off guard when he suddenly kissed her lips, wrapping his arms around her body as she tried to calm her down.

"...mnn"

Sona tried to struggle out of his grip but failed, slowly feeling her strength her body as she melted in his embrace.

"... Sona..."

Lucias called out as soon as he separated from his lips from hers causing her body to lose its strength as she leaned against his body.

"I'm sorr-"

Lucias tried to apologize but was cut off by Sona who wrapped her arms around his neck, passionately kissing his lips as she pulled him towards the wooden walls of the hallway.

"*Hic*"

"Don't cry... I'm sorry..."

"You're an idiot... I hate you..."

"I know..."

Lucias said while caressing her short black hair with his right hand while wiping her tears away with his fingers.

"... Sona..."

"Why?"

Sona asked as she clenched her fist placed against his chest with a pained expression on her face.

"..."

"Why did you reject me?"

"..."

"A-Am I lacking in anything?"

"..."

"Tell me, Lucias"

"..."

"Tell me... please..."

"..."

"Lucias... Why..."

"..."

"Am I ugly? Do you hate my personality?"

"..."

"Lucias... say something..."

"Sona..."

"I'll change for you, please... don't leave..."

"... That's not it Sona..."

"Then why!?"

"... Sona... You deserve someone better"

"I don't need someone better, I need you, Lucias"

"Sona..."

"I know... I don't understand why I fell for you... I don't understand my own emotions, Lucias"

"..."

"Please..."

Sona begged as her tears drenched his uniform while feeling several needles pricking her heart, causing her to become desperate to make the pain that she felt stop as she tried to hold onto him. Afraid that he'll leave once she let's go of his body.

"Sona... I already have someone else"

"..."

"I already have 2 daughter"

"..."

"2 of my fiancées are now pregnant with my 3rd and 4th child"

"..."

"You deserve someone better, Sona. You'll be much happier that way"

Lucias said as he tried to comfort her but was caught in surprise when she suddenly stared at him with the same gaze that Ravel has shown him the past.

"I don't care... I'll introduce myself to them, I'll try my best to get their recognition"

"Sona please..."

"Lucias... I love you... please don't leave me"

Sona begged as she hugged his body in desperation, trembling from weakness and fear from being rejected again by Lucias.

"... Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Why are you this desperate, Sona?"

Lucias asked as she hugged her body closer, causing her to tighten her hug around his body.

"... I don't know when it started... Lucias... you just suddenly became an important piece of my life"

"..."

"I couldn't stop thinking of you for days... I yearned for your warmth, your attention, and I just became more desperate when I couldn't meet you for the past 10 days"

"Sona... I'm-"

Lucias tried to apologize once again but was cut off when she suddenly kissed his lips, closing her eyes as she savoured the taste of his lips.

"I know... I'm not worth-"

"Stop, Sona... Just stop..."

Lucias said before pulling her closer in his embrace, kissing her deeply in her lips with a pained expression on his face.

"Don't devaluate yourself, you're more than that..."

"Lucias..."

"... Fine... I agree"

Lucias sighed in a tired voice as he carried her weak body in his arms causing Sona to look at him with hope written in his eyes.

"You mean!?"

"I know... you won't give up until I agree so... yes, I agree in our engagement"

"Really!?"

"But... You might face a lot of difficulty as my fiancée"

"I don't care... I'll do my best, Lucias"

"You might not get the recognition of my other fiancées"

"I won't give up"

"... You might have to let go of your dream, your dream of creating a school in the underworld"

Lucias tried to scare her, hiding the fact that if she became his fiancée, not only would the entire faction would support her goal but will also eliminate everyone who tries to oppose her.

"You're much more important to me, Lucias"

Sona immediately said without hesitation causing Lucias to gently smile at her direction.

"Then... don't expect me to let you go even after a few thousand years"

"That's what I hoped for"

Sona said as Lucias kissed her lips, ignoring the fact that someone was peeking at the door of the clubroom.

"Don't regret this, Sona Sitri"

"I won't"

-meanwhile with the 'creator'-

"So the seed that I have planted has sprouted... I wonder if Lucias would be angry at me for rushing their love for each other"

The 'creator' muttered to herself while placing all of the souvenirs that they bought around Kyoto inside her pocket dimension to prepare to travel to Kuoh City where his husband is currently staying at.

"Hanna, Yasaka, it's time for us to go"