She reached out to touch Issei-kun's forehead, checking his temperature.
"There might be another reason entirely," a familiar voice called out from the doorway.
We turned to see Azazel-sensei entering the room. Rias-senpai looked at him with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Another reason?"
"Keep in mind, this is just a theory," Azazel said, his tone uncharacteristically heavy. "Issei's awakened power was absolute. I've lived a long time, but I've never seen or even heard of a power that can ripple across dimensions like that. Something that massive carries a heavy burden—not just on the body, but on the spirit as well."
We all nodded. We had assumed the mental and physical strain had simply put him into a deep recovery state.
"However," Azazel continued, "one thing has been bothering me. Walkyrie, Nina—have either of you seen Ignis in the last few days?"
The two girls shook their heads in unison. "No, I haven't seen her," Walkyrie replied.
"Me neither," Nina added.
Ignis-san was missing? Ever since she gained a temporary physical form, she had spent almost all her time materialized. She'd have tea with Tia-san, chat with Issei-kun's parents, or… occasionally harass Miu-san and the others. She was almost always with someone.
Though she was often playful to a fault, she always showed her divine side during a crisis. I had assumed she was staying close to comfort Issei-kun's parents during his coma.
Azazel frowned. "The fact that the Goddess vanished the moment Issei fell into this slumber is too coincidental. She likely holds the answer. Ddraig… can you hear us?"
Azazel addressed Issei-kun's left arm. A moment later, the green jewel manifested on the back of his hand.
[Yeah. I can hear you just fine.]
"Good. Tell us: what is happening to Issei and Ignis right now?"
Ddraig paused before answering. [To put it simply: the Partner's spirit and Ignis are not here.]
"Not here? What do you mean?"
[Exactly what I said. The Partner's soul has completely detached from his body. Physically, he is fine, but your voices cannot reach him right now. I apologize, but even I do not have the full picture. However, Ignis left a message for all of you.]
"A message?" Miu-san asked.
The jewel pulsed with light, and Ignis-san's voice—likely a recording kept by Ddraig—filled the room.
「...Issei will return to you. A hero has to make a grand entrance when everyone is in trouble, right? So for now, just keep him in your thoughts. Even if your words can't reach him, your feelings will.」
The message ended there.
It didn't explain his condition or why he wouldn't wake, but her words were enough to provide a glimmer of hope.
Issei-kun will definitely return. Just hearing that caused the knot of anxiety in my chest to loosen slightly.
Miu-san smiled. "Yeah… if Ignis-san says so, it has to be true."
"I agree," Alice-san said, exhaling softly. "She's… well, a lot of things, but she isn't the type to tell lies or make jokes at a time like this."
Rias-senpai and Akeno-san shared a look, their expressions finally softening into gentle smiles.
Azazel-sensei closed his eyes for a moment, then turned to Issei-kun's parents.
"Issei will wake up. If that Goddess guarantees it, then I believe it with all my heart. But… I suspect that once he wakes, he will choose to stand on the battlefield once more. Of his own volition. And for that… I am truly sorry."
Azazel bowed his head deeply.
This was the second time he had apologized to them. The first was when they were nearly kidnapped; now, it was for the burden their son had to bear.
"Because of my own inadequacy as a leader, I have forced your son into impossible situations. Issei is strong, both in body and spirit, but those of us in charge have grown far too reliant on that strength. Even while telling him not to be reckless, we've allowed him to do the exact opposite. This is my responsibility. For what happened to you, and for what is happening to your son… I am deeply sorry."
Azazel's words were raw, heavy with genuine remorse.
However, Issei-kun's father simply shook his head.
"Sensei, please, raise your head. As for our situation, the fault was our own. If we had understood your world better, things wouldn't have gone that way. And as for Issei… this is what he chose. He protected everyone, and I'm sure he's proud of that."
Issei-kun's mother stepped forward. "Of course, we don't want him to be reckless. That feeling will never change. But more than that, we don't want him to live with regrets. Besides… he promised us. He promised he'd bring everyone back home. Issei is a bit of an idiot, and he's a pervert, and he's incredibly stubborn… but he's a boy who keeps his promises. He will wake up."
She took her son's hand in hers, wrapping it in both of her own.
"This is all I can do for him," she whispered. "It's a bit pathetic, really. We don't have the power to fight Evil Dragons or protect the world like the rest of you. So… if our prayers, if our feelings can be even a little bit of support for him…"
Issei-kun's father placed his hand over hers, closing his eyes in a silent prayer.
Maybe it was just a trick of the light. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me because I wanted so badly to see it.
But the moment Issei-kun's parents held his hand…
For a fleeting second, I thought I saw a faint, rainbow radiance envelop his body.
[Kiba's Perspective: End]
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