Returning Welsh Dragon Hero - Chapter 15

This morning feels different. Miki Hyoudou couldn't help but think, while smiling.

"And then by the end, the pigs literally ended up building some kinda perpetual motion machine. I swear the entire time I was on that island, it felt like it was a fever dream." Issei was telling a story about how he and his Chaldea friends ended up on a deserted island and apparently remade civilization there. In a fashion.

"Hahaha, the, the image is so cute but so funny." Asia was laughing heartly at the story.

"Sadly, turns out the giant boar we defeated at the start was a nemesis of Artoria and in the future of that island it destroys the piglets civilization."

"Wait, what!? That's horrible! What about the poor pigies?" Asia said in worry.

"Oh it worked out, we obviously beat it. But it wasn't a simply discovery that it was the big bad villain responsible for all that happened. Basically..." Issei continued to tell his tale, sometimes out of order, sometimes backtracking to clarify certain events or shed new light about them. He seemed to perfectly keep Asia engaged and entertained.

And that was just it. For Miki, her son just seem lively this morning. There was always this since of calm heaviness since he returned from his otherworldly adventure, but he seemed more like himself than he had in a while.

There was still maturity in his eyes, but the wary tiredness behind his smile seemed gone. The Hyoudou matriarch didn't know yet why this happened, but she couldn't help but be glad for it.

"Issei, Asia" Gorou spoke up with an excited grin. Miki shaped her husband's smile as she already knew of what he planned. "So at work I decided to cash in on those vacation days. What do you say we go some place as a family together during your school's vacation days during Golden Week."

"Oh? That's great!" Issei grinned back.

Kuoh Academy had a policy of giving the week before Golden Week off for students, to let them have a chance to finish any homework they had in that week, so they can enjoy the actual Golden Week free of studying.

In actuality either students are forced to do extra work the teacher think they are free to do in two weeks, or they are forced to study harder for quizzes or tests after the holidays period ended. And of course there are some like Issei and his perverted friends who either finish the work early, or leave it to the last minute and just take the whole thing as a two week vacation.

It was nice family plan for them to spend those two weeks at Hokkaido, at a coast town called Erimo.

Miki felt giddy at thought of a vacation like that. It might eat into hers and her husband' savings a bit, but it's worth it to get back the time they lost with their son.

"Mom, Dad, Asia." Issei spoke up. "There's something I want to talk to you guys about."

===x===

If something is too good to be true, then it likely is. 

It was a common piece of wisdom. Asia Argento was familiar with such adage, she just never felt like she experienced it till now.

Asia's life since her Sacred Gear was discovered by the Church at a young age had been good. She never wanted to fall into greed and demand more. She simply had to wake up, pray, eat, pray, read the scriptures, eat, pray then go to sleep. Sometimes she would be requested to heal someone by the Church, either priests, exorcists or people that need aid. Although those people noticeably were dressed really well, or had to arrive in secrecy.

Most time when Asia which to travel outside in the town she was in, she'd be escorted by a senior priest. There she would either play with the local children, and heal what people she found in need of aid.

Thus was the routine of Asia Argento's life. She was seen as a Holy Maiden for her efforts, which Asia didn't feel was deserved when her God's gift is what allowed her to do anything.

There was... something however that she wished for. A secret desire that she didn't voice out of shame.

She wanted a friend. A genuine one.

The people around her, be it the Church or the townsfolk, they were good people, they were kind with bright smiles.

But their smiles sometimes felt like it was hiding something, like they wanted something from her. It was gone when she healed whomever needed help. But that "want" being there made her feel comfortable.

As for the kids she played with, it felt more like she was a babysitter. Which she didn't hate but she would like to also be the one playing, rather than looking after others.

When she met that injured person, that later turned out to be a devil, she just did what came naturally to her. Heal the sick.

Then turn into a crazy mess where she was condemned for healing a devil. Accused of conspiring with them.  Told that her powers were God's gifts. It all happened too fast.

And before she knew it, Asia was excommunicated.

Was she wrong for wishing to have more than her static life? Should she have been content with what she had, rather than greedily ask for more?

Then she found herself flown to Japan, a foreign land with a foreign language, where she knew no one, and she was suppose to join a group of fallen angels and stay exorcists. Because she was a witch now. That's what she was, what everyone called her.

Yet, regardless of what anyone called her, in her heart she was but one of god's lamb, so she did the only thing she knew and could depend on in this trial life threw at her.

So she prayed.

"Hey, are you lost? ...Sorry, I know little Italian. Do you know English? I can speak that better."

And her prayers were answered.

Since that day when she met Issei Hyoudou, Asia understood.

God had answered her prayers.

She wasn't punished when she was excommunicated.

That devil was simply put her path so she may eventually meet Issei, his parents, his home and family that... that felt like her own.

For the first time she had a family and a home she could call her own.

"When I went to Rias on a trip to one of her clients, I learned that I could go back. Specially to that world I was in."

And now Issei was telling them he would leave.

Was I delusional? Did I misunderstand, or is this another trial O' Lord? Asia thought.

The conversation went on for a while, but Asia wasn't able to focus on it.

"H-How would you come back? ...You are coming back, right?" Asked Miki.

"Of course, I'm coming back!" Issei said with a laugh, the broke the tension.

"Huh?" Asia found herself mentally zooming back into the discussion, focusing on it.

"Did you all think I'm leaving for good? How am I suppose to introduce you to Ritsuka if I did that?" Issei said with a chuckle.

"Wow, you really are committed to the long distance relationship, huh?" Gorou jested.

"Yeah," Issei chuckled some more. "It should be possible for me to travel back and forth through the Dimensional Gap with my armor on. I'll come back with Ritsuka once we figure out a way for me to safely bring people with me. If not I'll just keep coming and going between our world and hers."

"How much time would that take? At least the travelling part?" Miki asked.

"I'm... not sure. Ddraig?"

[The concept of time doesn't exist in the Dimensional Gap. Could be a minute, could be years. Odds are, as long as that All Genius Hedonist is around in Chaldea, we'll be able to make it back in no time.] Ddraig said. [If not? Eh, we can probably figure something out with Penertate to bootleg a quick way back.]

"So that means...?" Gorou asked for everyone.

"It shouldn't take that long. Either I succeed and get back in a few weeks, a months at most, or fail and get back right away." Issei replied.

"So when will you be leaving?" Asked Miki.

"I'm thinking... last day of of the holidays? At least that way if I end up gone for too long, maybe Rias can cover for me?" He gave a nervous grin.

"Why not the middle of Golden Week?" Gorou asked. "You'd be able to get back before school starts again." He asked, before wilting at Mama Hyoudou's scowl.

"Because I wouldn't get to spend time with all of you." Isse smiled.

"Aww," Miki cooed. "We love you too, Ise!"

"Mom!" Issei protested with his cheek flushed. "...Thanks."

The Hyoudou's chuckled at their son's embarrassment to their affection. Gorou rubbed Issei's hair and messed it up, making Issei mock growl at him and shoo him away.    

"Oh thank god." Asia didn't realize realize she said that out loud as the Hyoudou family looked at her. "I mean, um, I'm glad that Issei isn't leaving for good. Mama-san and Papa-san would have been sad."

"Of course not," Issei smiled and patted Asia's head. "What kind of person would I'd be if I bailed on my family? Don't worry, I'll make sure to come back with souvenirs for you."

"A-hem." Miki coughed loudly and pointed at herself.

"You get to meet Ritsuka." Issei replied.

"What about me?" Gorou joked.

"You get to have me for company?"

"Pass, can you bring any good sake back?"

"Oi!"

As the family joked around her, Asia felt warm and reassured. Yet the quiet dread inside her stayed.

Would this joy stay in her life for long, or would it be temporary?

Would she be greedy to ask for it to stay and punished, or would she face another trial to realize that wish?

Asia didn't know. The future didn't set her at ease.

===x===

"Say what?" Vali blinked in confusion at the phone call he got.

"I'm asking if you'd join me and my family at our stay in Erimo during Golden Week. I told you I'd set the date for our match during Golden Week, and if we're there we can have the match at sea, so as not to worry about collateral damage." Issei replied to him.

"You are inviting a devil. A child of Lucifer. To your family vacation." Vali stated bluntly.

"Well I asked Rias but she said her brother took her and her peerage for some surprise family vacation, so that's out. Also, why do you make it sound so edgy? So what that you're a Lucifer? Are you gonna go do some evil shit because you're compelled to do so by you nature and go 'muwahahaha', or something?" Issei deadpanned.

"No. And never do that laugh again." Vali grunted.

"Then that's that. What did you never get invited to hang out before or something?" Issei said with a teasing note.

"I've been invited to many places you wouldn't even believe." Vali immediately said back.

"Heh, we'll see about that. I bet my stories trump yours on the 'outlandish and bizarre' scale." Issei chuckled.

"We'll see if fast talking if the only thing you can do once we have our duel." Vali smirked.

"Cool. I'll see you there then. Oh, and of course, Azazel isn't invited. But if you could rob him to pay for the whole trip, I'll use a Juggernaut Drive move on you. Later." Issei said quickly and ended the call.

"What the heck is that suppose to mean?" Vali looked at his phone in confusion.

Did his rival imply that he wouldn't use Juggernaut Drive to its full extent?

"Oh, I'm gonna make you eat those words, Rival."

[Hmph. We'll make sure of it.] Albion said, to which Vali nodded.

Now, where does Azazel keep his safe for quick cash and booze again?