Departure

"Talk-no-jutsu desu!" = Conversations

'Hentai...!' = Thoughts

"Za Warudo!" = Spells, Attacks, Rage moments, demonic forms, yada yada yada. You get the point.

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Enma's POV

I frowned heavily as I sat at the corner of the bed. On my lap is Pietra, its blade gleaming under the moonlight. Tonight's event flashed before my eyes before finally stopping at Gura's soulless eyes.

I can't sleep nor even close my eyes for a minute before being hunted by the sounds of Gura's voice.

"Why did you not rescue them? You are the most powerful magician in the world, but why didn't you saved them?! Dad and mommy, they treated you as one of ours, but how come you couldn't save them?!" Shaking my head and taking deep breathes. I gripped my trembling hands. Caressing Pietra, I traced every single curve, line, and Magicka inscriptions laid on it.

Standing up and putting Pietra back in my pocket space, I went towards the balcony of my room and stared at the moonlit sky. A silent tear slid down my cheek as the clouds formed the image of them. The people that I couldn't save.

Starting from Gura's parents and siblings to those slaves from those nobles who schemed against my clans, my people, and lastly, to my grandpa.

"With all these powers and spells at the beck of my call. Why?! Why couldn't save a single one of them?!" I roared in anger, roared towards the heavens, roared against my powerlessness.

"WHY DO I STILL FEEL SO WEAK?!"  I faced the sky and roared until my throat got hoarse. I felt my knees grew numb before I slumped unceremoniously.

I stared at my hands as they tremble and shiver. I stiffened when I felt a hand land on my shoulder.

"I'm here..." With great difficulty, I turned my head to the side and smiled.

"Pekora--" I couldn't finish what I was about to say when she pulled me into her arms.

With that, the dams broke. My tears cascaded like a waterfall, but I didn't care, nor Pekora did.

I leaned into her arms and listened to her soft words of comfort. I felt her pat my head.

"I'm scared Pekora. I'm already this strong and yet, I still keep losing the people I love. I don't want to lose you too." I muttered as my voice shivers.

"Hey, look at me peko." I felt soft hands caress my cheeks before she lifted my face to face her. Her mesmerizing orange eyes gleamed under the moonlight of the night sky. I noted how they lack the usual mischief in them, in their place was a concern, fondness, and one emotion I didn't know existed before in her eyes, love.

"You won't be losing me anytime soon peko. I'll be here just by your peko side as long as want me to peko." She smiled, and I felt my heart beat faster when I gazed at that tantalizing smile of hers.

"Enma?" I heard her call out to me, but my focus was solely on her lips, her supple lips. I moved my eyes from her lips to stare at her eyes. I moved my hand and held hers, I immediately took notice of the pink blush dusting her cheeks, it's cute, but at the same time, beautiful.

"E-Enma... Mmmmphhh." I closed my eyes as our lips touched, deeply remembering this moment and the feeling of her lips against mine. I then felt a wet appendage touch my lips, smiling internally, I opened my mouth slightly and let Pekora's tongue in and wrestle against mine. Leaning back, I opened my eyes and then smiled.

Across me, Pekora was blushing up a storm. Her eyes contracted and dilated as she stared at me in surprise and elation. Her lips still parted from the earlier kiss, while her cute rabbit ears stood straight.

"E-Enma you..." She stuttered.

"Thank you Pekora, for everything." Reaching my hands out, I pinched both of her cheeks. She immediately shouted in surprise before backing away.

"Hmph! Bad Enma, you took pekovantage of me when I was comforting you peko." She pointed at me and I just chuckled.

"Who was it that took her tongue out?" She immediately stiffened before standing up.

"W-well, it looks like you're peko okay now. I-I'll go back to my room now peko." She stuttered into a blushing mess before turning back. I stood as well from the floor, before staring at the crescent moon again.

"But Pekora, thank you. Even though it's just the beginning of our journey right now, and we are about to experience more troubles and obstacles down the road regardless of what we went through before. You still stayed beside me." I smiled when I felt Pekora's arms wrap around my torso. Her chin was placed on my shoulder as she also looked at the crescent moon up above.

~Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Death Sensei teaching two Chibi Reaper Apprentice and having headaches~

I woke up with Pekora in my arms, her soft breathing caress my chin and neck. I gazed at her peaceful sleeping form, played with her hair before kissing her forehead. Carefully moving her to the side, I stood up from the comfy bed and stretched.

Smiling serenely as I observe Pekora's sleeping form. I chuckled when she mumbled about me being an idiot, before paling when she mentioned Pekodam.

Taking a deep breath and facing the balcony, I gazed at the rising sun. My body tensed, determination and tension gripped my whole being for what is about to come.

~An hour Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Gura booking Chibi Ina on the head with her trident~

"Everyone ready?" I looked around the courtyard to see who is coming with me and Gura to Atlantis.

Pekora is beside me, holding my hand softly and smiling cheerfully.

Amelia was frowning and staring at me and I have a feeling about what she wants to know.

Hoshimachi is joining in order to shorten her journey back to the Eldefein Kingdom and report to the King.

Gura was silently playing with her trident just beside Amelia, her eyes worried me. Those eyes are something I've been familiar with long ago.

'Murderous Intent and Vengeance...' I frowned before shaking my head.

I can deal with this when the time comes, for now. We need to get to Feltiore Bay then to Atlantis. I wish I could've learned a more powerful teleporting spell, but Void Gateway will do for now.

"We'll have a maximum of four rests due to the limitation of Void Gateway. That means three days before Atlantis falls. We will take a day or two to get from Feltiore to Atlantis. As long as there is no disturbance, we will get to Atlantis a day before it falls." Everyone nodded grimly as I took a deep breath before summoning my Grimoire.

"Enma, a word, please?" Yagoo called out to me and motioned me over to his side.

"What's wrong old man? We need to start going now or else we'll be too late." Annoyed, I nearly snapped at him only for him to pat my shoulder. For some reason, that calmed down a lot.

"Be careful, you out of all people knows that not everything will go your way in this cruel world of ours." I looked at his eyes and saw raw concern in his dark brown eyes.

"I will old man. Don't worry." He nodded, but then he motioned over to Gura.

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about Gura. You felt it didn't you? That raw thirst for revenge and the thick scent of blood lust that lingers around her. Look out for her, I'm sure those black-robed men will keep on trying to stop you from going to Atlantis. The Priestess herself might come out to stop you." I frowned heavily when the mention of the Priestess was said. Something still doesn't feel right about that Priestess.

"I'll make sure to keep all of them safe. That is one thing you can count on me old man. Plus, they are not damsels in need of a white knight. They are magicians, powerful magicians." Yagoo looked at me in approval as we both stared at the backs of the girls.

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To be continued~

And with that, the plot thickens yet again. The next turn of events will be exciting if I would say. A little bit of fluff with Enma and Pekora here in this chap, everyone needs one. I wanna know if I did that properly and gave it proper justice on the romance part but other than that. Stay tuned min'na, and Author will be back.